LiS: Arcadia Duo
by BrxkenArrow
Summary: After seeing my oldest friend get shot, I discovered a strange power that I didn't know I had, and I saved her. Now, my best friend and I are back together, working to uncover the dark secrets buried in our home town. And maybe, just maybe, something more will brew there. My name is Damon Azrail, and this is my story. Rated M for a reason. OCxChloe. PLEASE REVIEW!
1. Chrysalis - Part 1

_Cold._

_Cold, wet, and windy._

_That was all I felt as I flickered my eyes open. It was raining so hard, and having my face in the dirt did not improve things. "Where am I?" I mumbled to myself as I shakily got up. I stumbled a little, but managed to get to my feet. It was rather difficult to see, but my vision soon cleared up. Before me, I saw a forest path uphill. As I stared up said path, I vaguely saw a bright, almost blinding, light flash in and out of existence. "The lighthouse!" I exclaimed in realisation, though I barely heard my own voice over the thunder and wind._

_Nonetheless, I quickly chose my next course of action._

_I slowly made my way towards the lighthouse. It was really difficult, walking through the biting wind and pouring rain, but I managed, slowly but surely. I was shivering like a cell phone on vibrate, and I had more than a few injuries from small, flying debris, but I eventually got to the lighthouse. What I saw made my blood run cold. Well, colder than it already was._

_A tornado._

_And no, this is not the kind of tornado one would usually see in Texas, no. This was a mother-fucker tornado, tall, and almost uniformly thick across its entire length. It looked more like a spinning ball of wind headed towards the town than a tornado. If it hit, there would be so few survivors, if any at all._

_Suddenly, a loud 'bang' caught my attention. Lightning. I just barely turned my head in time to see the bolt break off a huge piece of the lighthouse. It was falling right towards me!_

"_Fuck!" I yelled, bracing for the impact, and the death that would come with it._

* * *

My eyes shot open, cold sweat running down my forehead as I found myself in my photography class, my teacher, one Mr Mark Jefferson, giving his lecture. Something about Alfred Hitchcock. _"What the fuck?" _I asked myself, looking around. A long haired blond bimbo in the class, Taylor I think, threw a paper ball at my friend, Kate Marsh, a dirty blond haired girl, her hair tied into a bun. She wore a simple grey skirt, white shirt, and black jacket. Queen Bitch of Blackwell, Victoria Chase, a blond short haired girl with needlessly expensive clothing, quickly stopped her phone from ringing.

I let out a quiet sigh and ran my hand through my shoulder length black hair, dyed of course. I'm naturally blond actually. I also added in a few dark crimson streaks, to make it look cool. My clothes were mostly plain. Black jeans, black walking shoes, a long sleeved black shirt with a white wolf on the back. The only thing that was really unusual about my clothing was my dark red leather jacket, which hung over my chair at the moment.

"_OK, calm down Damon." _I told myself, massaging my temples. _"Whatever that was, it was far too real to be a dream." _I quietly realized. The rain, the wind, the cold, it all felt too real. It couldn't have been a dream. Putting that aside for a moment, introductions. My name is Damon Azrail. I am 19 years old, and a student here at Blackwell Academy. I'm currently studying to be a photographer, coincidentally, like my teacher, Mr Jefferson. I've always loved taking pictures.

Not something you'd expect from an anti-social, gothic-nerd like myself, but people always surprise you.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kate with her head slumped, as if on the verge of tears. I heard about the viral video of her. Apparently she got wasted and made out with several guys at the last Vortex Club(popular pricks) party. I haven't watched it though, and I have no intention of doing so. Kate isn't like that. She was more than likely roofied, I'd wager.

As Mr Jefferson spoke, I spared a glance at my camera, one of those old instant cameras, and a photograph the was beside it; an image of me, laying on the ground, as if half conscious, with several other photographs in a checkerboard pattern across the floor, some facing up, some facing down. The lighting was rather low, intentionally, so you wouldn't suspect it was me at first. But, if you look closely, the half of my face that isn't covered by a shadow can easily be identified as myself. I let out a sigh.

"_No way am I going to win a Photography Contest with this." _I thought bitterly as I put the photograph down. As I did so however, I accidentally knocked my camera over. "Crap!" I cried out loud, quickly grabbing the camera, as well as the attention of everyone else in the room. As I grabbed the camera though, I accidentally activated it, taking a picture of myself.

"Drop your camera, Damon?" Mr Jefferson asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes sir, apologies." I said, my English accent prominent as I spoke. "This thing was expensive, I'd rather it not be smashed to pieces." I added as the camera printed the picture. "Got a nifty picture out of it though." I said holding the image up. It showed only half of my worried face, due to my hand covering the other half of the camera lens. "Nothing if not natural I suppose." I quipped.

"I suppose so." Mr Jefferson gave me an amused grin. "Now, I believe Damon has accidentally taken what is known today as a 'selfie.' A dumb word for such a wonderful photographic condition." He shook his head. I agree, if I'm being honest. "And Damon here, has a gift." He gave me an interested look before carrying on. "As you all know, the photo portrait has been popular since the early 1800s. Your generation is not the first to use portraiture for… selfie-expression." He grinned. No one laughed. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

"Might I suggest key cards, sir?" I asked with an amused smile. I was ignored, though I could see his lips twitch up in amusement.

"Anyway, the point remains that portraiture has always been an important part of photography, and art as a whole, for as long as it's been around." he turned his attention to me. "Since you clearly want to join the conversation Damon, could you please tell us the name of the process that gave birth to first self portraits?" he asked.

"The Daguerreian Process, invented by Louis Daguerre, a French Painter. It gives portraits a sharp, reflective style not unlike that of a mirror." I gave a near perfect textbook answer. "It was extremely popular because it gave the subjects clear and defined features, particularly in the faces of said subjects." I added.

"Very good Damon." he gave a pleased smirk. "Very good indeed." I had to smirk as Victoria Chase glared at me. I'm guessing I gave an answer better than what she would have, which is a blow to her ego, as well as her standing in Jefferson's eyes. Seriously, she is the biggest brown-noser I have ever seen. Then the bell resounded through the school. "Alright guys, don't forget to submit a photo in the Everyday Heroes contest. I'll fly out with the winner to San Francisco where you'll be feted by the art world. It's great exposure, and it could kickstart a career in photography." He told us as we all gathered our possessions. "So Stella, Alyssa, get it together. And Taylor, don't hide, I'm still waiting for your entry. And yes Damon, I can see you pretending not to see me." Mr. Jefferson said as the students began to leave the class.

"And I tried so hard." I gave a sigh as I slipped my jacket on, making Mr Jefferson shake his head. With a light stretch, I made my way over to Kate's desk. "Alright there Kate?" I asked gently as she slowly packed her things into her backpack.

"Oh, hi Damon." She said with a depressed smile.

"You've been awfully quiet today." I told her.

"Just a lot on my mind." She said, slumping.

"You want to get some tea/coffee and talk?" I asked of her.

"Thanks for the offer, but no. I have a lot of homework to do." She told me.

"That's alright. Another time then?" I asked with a soft smile.

"That would be nice. Thank you Damon." She said with a smile, a soft pink dusting her cheeks. Now, I'm not a clueless teen with balls bluer than the sky; I can see quite clearly that Kate has a little crush on me. Unfortunately, whilst I do think she's cute, she's not really the kind of girl I would want to date. I don't really get along with the religious folk all that often, and Kate reminds me a little too much of my sister. Yeah, that would be weird.

"See you around." I said with a smile as I walked off. As I did, however, I saw Victoria talking to Jefferson, bending over to give him a view of her cleavage; classic seduction technique, albeit tame and often unsuccessful. _"And to think, three weeks ago she was trying to get into MY pants." _I thought with a roll of my eyes as I made for the door.

"Hold it right there Mr Azrail." Mr Jefferson's voice hit my ears as I grabbed the door handle. With a small sigh, I turned back and walked over to him. "There's no chance I'm going to let one of photography's future stars avoid handing in his entry." he told me expectantly.

"I appreciate the compliment sir, but I don't think I'll be entering." I told him with a slight shrug. "I can't seem to find a good photo for it." I told him.

"Why not?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "Biding time? Waiting for the elusive 'right moment' to show itself?" He asked.

"I suppose that's one way of looking at it." I conceded.

"I don't recommend waiting too long Damon." he warned me. "John Lennon once said that 'Life is what happens-"

"-when you're busy making other plans.' Yes, I've heard that one." I cut him off with a small smirk.

"You are on fire today, Damon." Jefferson said with a satisfied smile. Victoria huffed in annoyance, glaring at me for stealing her thunder. Take that bitch!

"I'm an insomniac with a photographic memory sir." I said, tapping the side of my forehead. "Hence the class." I gestured around us, earning another amused smile from him.

"Well, credit where it's due I suppose." He said. "Go on now, I won't stop you." He told me. Nodding in response, I turned and left the room this time. I could feel Bitch-whore-ia's glare on my back as I left. Ignoring it, I popped my earphones in, plugged them into my phone, and started playing my Three Days Grace, Bon Jovi, and Black Veil Brides mix playlist. I gave a light sigh and headed for bathroom. I need some quite, and maybe a splash of water on my face to clear my head. As I walked, I saw several Missing Person posters. Rachel Amber, Blackwell's former most popular student, amongst the teachers and students. Arcadia Bay's golden child, from what I heard. She went missing around six months ago, before I arrived back in Arcadia Bay, so I never met her. She looks pretty though.

As I arrived at that bathroom, I was relieved to find out it was empty. I walked over to one of the basin and turned the tap, splashing some water on my face. I didn't pay any attention to the glasses and moustache drawn on the mirror. Childish nonsense. Students at this academy need to grow up, really. I let out a sigh and looked at the photo I had in the class, the one with my looking half conscious.

"_Maybe I could enter it?" _I thought hesitantly. I'm not one of those noobs that are too scared to enter a competition for fear of rejection. OK, that's a bit of a fib, maybe I am a little. However, I'm also hesitant because, well, is this really the picture to go with? As much as I hate the word, I don't think an over-glorified selfie will do well in any competition. With a sigh, I slipped the photo into my back pocket. _"I still have time. Maybe something else will present itself." _I thought to myself as I splashed one more bit of water on my face and turned the tap off.

As if answering a cue, a small, beautiful, blue butterfly flew in through the air vent. Poor little thing. However, it would make a good picture. _"As one door closes, another opens." _I thought with a small smile as I quickly pulled out my camera. The butterfly flew around a little bit, before landing on one of the basins. _"Perfect." _I thought, aiming the camera. As I took the shot, the image came out, showing the butterfly, and a reflection of it in the mirror, which I purposely caught in the photo. _"Might need a scan, and a little editing, but that could work." _I mused.

As i thought that, however, some burst in to the bathroom. I don't know why, but something told me to hide, so I did. Behind the stalls, at the very end of the bathroom. Thankfully our intruder didn't see me. When I peaked over to see who it was, I was so relieved that I hid. I'm not afraid of conflict, I am more than capable of handling myself in a fight if need be, but I'd rather not deal with the consequences of beating down on that guy; Nathan Prescott. Or, as I like to call him, Nathan Prick-cunt.

He's the son of Sean Prescott, and his family practically owns half the town. Because of this, he seems to be under the impression that he is superior to everyone else here. That he is the nobility to our peasantry. Really, he's just a rich snob kid. Like Victoria. I've heard rumors that they're sleeping together, which wouldn't surprise me if it was true. They are the co-leaders of the Vortex Club after all.

"It's cool, Nathan... Don't stress... You're okay, bro. Just count to three..." Nathan said, panting heavily. "Don't be scared... You fucking own this school... If I wanted, I could blow it up... You're the boss..." He mumbled, splashing his face. Man, this guy is unstable.

Seconds later, another person entered the room, a girl this time. She had short blue hair, piercing blue eyes, and a slim build. She wore a dark blue beanie, and black jacket not unlike my red one, a white shirt with a skull on it, blue ripped jeans, black boots, and a necklace with three bullets hanging from it. She was quite pretty, if I'm being honest. Gorgeous actually. I'll admit I've always had a thing for biker and/or punk girls.

However, something about her seems familiar.

I know her…

"So what do you want?" Nathan spat at her.

"Hope you checked the perimeter, as my step-ass would say. Now, let's talk bidness." The girl said, looking through each stall. And that right there, 'bidness,' is another word I hate.

"I have nothing for you." The rich boy replied darkly.

"Bull. You got hella cash." The girl shot back.

"That's my family, not me." Nathan corrected.

"Oh boo hoo, poor little rich kid." The girl mocked him. Where do I know her from? "I know you've been pumping drugs and shit to kids 'round here." The bluenette got right up in Nathan's face, not giving a flying fuck about his personal space. "I bet your respectable family would help me out if I went to them. Man, I can see the headlines now..." She let that hang for a moment.

"_This bird's not playing around." _I thought with a small smirk.

"Leave them out of this Bitch!' Nathan growled angrily.

"I can tell everyone that Nathan Prescott is a little punk ass who begs like a little girl and talks to himself!" The girl jeered.

"You don't know who the fuck I am!" Prescott hollered, pulling out a gun. "Or who you're messing with!" The girl's expression quickly turned from mocking and angry to fearful and cautious. Trust me when I say I don't blame her. Having someone whip out a firearm and point it right at your face would be terrifying to anyone.

"Wh-Where'd you get that? What are you doing? C-Come on, put that thing down!" She stammered as Nathan pinned her to the door, his gun aiming right at her chest.

"Don't tell me what to do! I'm so fucking SICK of people trying to FUCKING CONTROL ME!"

"You're gonna get in more trouble for this than drugs!" The bluenette cried, struggling to break free of Nathan's grasp. His enraged grip was to strong for her though.

"Nobody would ever even miss your punk ass, now would they!?" Nathan yelled in her face.

"Get that gun away from me, you PSYCHO!" She shouted as she finally managed push Nathan off of her. Unfortunately, Nathan accidentally fired, the bullet hitting the poor girl right in her stomach.

"_NO!" _I yelled mentally, my eyes wide in horror as I stood there, froze in terror. I just watched someone die. Someone just fucking died in front of me! My fist clenched so tight, I think my nails drew blood as my knuckles went white. Suddenly, everything around me slowed down. As the girl fell to the ground, it was like time suddenly went in slow motion. The same thing was happening as Nathan dropped the gun. _"W-what?" _I gasped.

Then…

Everything turned back.

* * *

**OK, before anyone says anything, I know I should not be focussing on another story. I know, I really do, but I can't seem to focus on any one story at this very moment. My life coach suggested I chose a new story and focus on it until it's finished, which is why I chose Life is Strange. If I play my card, and words, right, I might be able to finish it about 100 000 words. Apparently, that will make focussing on other stories easier.**

**Another reason why I chose Life is Strange is because I wasn't totally satisfied with some of the choices one can make in the game. Take the incident with Kate and David. Why not snap a picture, and THEN defend the poor girl? Or, perhaps, consider the argument with David and Chloe. Why side with either of them? Why not say they're both acting like children? **

**Also, I REALLY don't like the ending(s). I mean, seriously. After all those choices, after all the work, after all Max and Chloe went through together, there's only two possible choices? Fuck that. I'mma make my own ending, and I'll tell ya'll now, it's gonna be awesome, and hella clever. XP**

**Onwards!**


	2. Chrysalis - Part 2

"_OK, that was fucking weird." _I thought as Mr Jefferson went about his lecture, the very same lecture I heard just about half an hour ago, starting with Alfred Hitchcock, and carrying on. Events that should have already happened are happening again. Taylor throws a crumpled up piece of paper at Kate, Victoria's phone rings on silent, and she turns it off. If I recall, after that comes… "Shite!" I yelped as I quickly grabbed my camera as it fell.

I missed.

"Damn it." I hissed under my breath.

"Drop your camera, Damon?" Mr Jefferson asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes sir, apologies." I said, looking at the many pieces that my camera had been crushed into.

"See that you clean that up. I'd rather someone not cut their feet open with polaroid camera bits." he instructed. I nodded obediently as he went on with his lecture. To my side, I heard Victoria and Taylor giggling like the dumb school girls they were. I could only roll my eyes.

"_Ok, this is definitely real." _I decided, taking a moment to calm myself. _"I saw a girl get shot, clenched my fist, and ended up back here." _I recalled, frowning in thought as I stared at my hand, and then at my camera. Maybe… _"Got nothing to lose by trying I suppose." _I thought to myself as I clenched my fist and concentrated. It was like a rewind button inside me was just pressed. Everything around me started rolling backwards. Mr Jefferson started walking backwards, the paper ball flew into Taylor's hand, and Victoria's phone started ringing again as she touched the device.

Finally, all the pieces of my camera flew together and repaired themselves, before the device flew back to the very edge of my desk. _"Yes!" _I mentally cheered. _"Ok, just one more thing, one more bit of evidence before I believe this myself." _I told myself, turning my eyes to my camera. Subtly, I used my elbow to nudge my camera off of the desk. As it fell, I reached out and grabbed it, hoping that I would take an accidental selfie again.

And it seems karma was on my side.

Jefferson turned his attention to me as the device clicked and flashed. "Drop you camera, Damon?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes sir, apologies." I said as the camera printed the picture.. Huh, I suppose this is the third time he and I have had this exchange. "This thing was expensive, I'd rather it not be smashed to pieces." I added as I looked at the photo. "Got a nifty picture out of it though." I said holding the image up. It showed only half of my worried face, due to my hand covering the other half of the camera lens. "Nothing if not natural I suppose." I quipped.

Now, we shall see.

"I suppose so." Mr Jefferson gave me an amused grin, like last time. "Now, I believe Damon has accidentally taken what is known today as a 'selfie.' A dumb word for such a wonderful photographic condition." He shook his head, like last time. "And Damon here, has a gift." He gave me an interested look before carrying on. Like last time."As you all know, the photo portrait has been popular since the early 1800s. Your generation is not the first to use portraiture for… selfie-expression." He grinned. No one laughed. Like last time. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

I suppose that proves it. I can fucken rewind TIME. And that means I need to get to the bathroom before Nathan and that girl, so I can save her. The best way for me to do that, is to play this lesson out as is it did the first time, and get to the bathroom immediately after. If I hurry after the lesson, I might be able to by a little extra time.

So, with that in mind...

"Might I suggest key cards, sir?" I asked with an amused smile. I was ignored, though I could see his lips twitch up in amusement. Just like last time.

"Anyway, the point remains that portraiture has always been an important part of photography, and art as a whole, for as long as it's been around." he turned his attention to me. "Since you clearly want to join the conversation Damon, could you please tell us the name of the process that gave birth to first self portraits?" he asked.

"The Daguerreian Process, invented by Louis Daguerre, a French Painter. It gives portraits a sharp, reflective style not unlike that of a mirror." I, again, gave a near perfect textbook answer. "It was extremely popular because it gave the subjects clear and defined features, particularly in the faces of said subjects." I added.

"Very good Damon." He gave a pleased smirk. "Very good indeed." I had to smirk again as Victoria Chase glared at me. Seriously, she needs to wipe the shit off her nose. The bell resounded through the school once again. "Alright guys, don't forget to submit a photo in the Everyday Heroes contest. I'll fly out with the winner to San Francisco where you'll be feted by the art world. It's great exposure, and it could kickstart a career in photography." Mr Jefferson told us as we all gathered our possessions. I didn't bother listening to any more of his words. I just slipped on my jacket, packed my stuff away, and made for the door, but not before repeating my earlier conversation with Kate.

Unfortunately…

"Hold it right there Mr Azrail." Mr Jefferson called out to me as I opened the door. Fuck, I forgot about this… Giving a subtle sigh of impatience, I turned and walked over to him. "There's no chance I'm going to let one of photography's future stars avoid handing in his entry." he told me expectantly.

"I'm sorry sir, I don't have a photo for the contest." I told him simply, hoping to speed up this conversation.

"Why not?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "Biding time? Waiting for the elusive 'right moment' to show itself?" He asked. So much for that...

"In a manner of speaking." I deadpanned, the irony here not lost on me.

"I don't recommend waiting too long Damon." he warned me. "John Lennon once said-"

"Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans." I cut him off with the quote, surprising him. "When you're an insomniac with a photographic memory, you tend to look things up in boredom." I told him, tapping my head with a finger.

"Well, regardless, you're certainly on fire today Damon." He said with an amused smile as Victoria glared at me. Yeah, not as sweet the second time, I have to admit. "Go on now, I won't stop you." he said. Nodding, I turned and left, ignoring Chase's glare on my back. I had bigger things to worry about at this very moment. As I left the room, I made haste for the bathroom.

* * *

"_Ok…" _I thought to myself as I entered the bathroom. Empty, just like before. Good. _"I washed my face, I pondered over the photo, and then saw a blue butterfly." _I recalled as I waited. There we go, the blue butterfly just flew in through the vent, landing on one of the basins. As I snapped the photo again, making sure one could see the butterfly itself and it's reflection, I heard hard footsteps approaching. Quickly, I had behind the stalls, at the end of the bathroom as Nathan Prescott entered the bathroom.

"It's cool, Nathan... Don't stress... You're okay, bro. Just count to three..." Nathan said, panting heavily. "Don't be scared... You fucking own this school... If I wanted, I could blow it up... You're the boss..." He mumbled, splashing his face.

OK, so far, so good. The girl should be coming just about now.

Yep, there she is. She just entered now. Now, how to save her?

"So what do you want?"

"Hope you checked the perimeter, as my step-ass would say. Now, let's talk bidness."

"I have nothing for you."

"Bull. You got hella cash."

"That's my family, not me."

"Oh boo hoo, poor little rich kid. I know you've been pumping drugs and shit to kids around here. I bet your respectable family would help me out if I went to them. Man, I can see the headlines now..."

"Leave them out of this, bitch!" Nathan said. The girl pushed him.

"I can tell everyone that Nathan Prescott is a punk ass who begs like a little girl and talks to himself-"

Nathan brought out his gun. "You don't know who the fuck I am, or who you're fuckin' messing with!" Nathan exclaimed.

"_OK, time to intervene." _I thought as I spied the fire alarm. I smirked as an idea came to me.

"Wh-Where'd you get that? What are you doing? C-Come on, put that thing down!" I heard the girl stammer as I slammed my elbow into the fire alarm, breaking the glass. Before either of them could say anything, I pressed the alarm. The girl took the distraction as an opportunity to push Nathan off of her. He fell to the ground, letting his gun fly as well. "Don't ever touch me again freak!" The girl hollered, running from the room. Nathan swore and picked up his gun, running as well.

I followed soon after. However, as I ran out, I bumped into someone, said someone being David Madsen, the Head of Security of Blackwell. Honestly, he's a bit of an ass. He was a soldier once upon a time, and I respect him for that, but he's not the nicest guy around. Not to say I dislike him in any way, or think he's a bad person, but he's not exactly my first choice among people to have a conversation with.

"Hold it, calm down soldier." He told me. Oh yeah, that's another thing. His soldier lingo doesn't seem to have left his head just yet.

"Sorry, Mr Madsen." I said with a deep breath. What just happened was rather nerve-wracking, I'll tell you that. "That alarm tripped me out." I told him.

"With the alarm on, exit the building in an orderly fashion, understood?" He asked with narrowed eyes. I suppressed a sigh of exasperation.

"Sir yes sir." I gave a sarcastic salute, eliciting a scowl from him. See what I mean?

"It's alright David." A new voice piped up. It was the Principal of the Academy, Principal Wells. A tall African-American man in a fancy grey suit. "This was a false alarm, there is no emergency." He told the security officer. "Now please go and shut that alarm off. That is your job." he instructed. David gave me a quick glare before walking off to do his job. Like I said, an ass. Not a bad guy, I know he truly cares about the safety of the students, but he really needs an attitude adjustment.

"Principal Wells." I greeted the man with a respectful nod of my head.

"Damon." He returned the greeting. "You look a little stressed out. Are you alright?" He asked. Crap!

"I… I will be." I told him with a deep sigh.

"Did something happen?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. He sounded somewhat worried. "You're sweating bullets." he observed.

"Nothing to be concerned about sir." I said with a small smile. No way am I telling this guy about Nathan and the gun. The Prescotts have half the town in their back pocket. Even if Wells believed me, he couldn't(wouldn't) do anything about it because that would cause trouble with Sean Prescott and his family's oh-so-perfect image. All in all, it's more trouble than it's worth. No real point.

"Son, as Principal of this Academy, it is my job to ensure every student here has the best educational experience possible." He told me sternly, sigh softly afterwards. "I can't do that if you're not upfront with me." He said.

"I assure you sir, it was nothing to be worried about." I promised him, to no avail. I need to tell him something he'll believe. Too bad I'm not a girl and can't 'lady issues' or something. Oh, I know! "I just started overthinking about the Everyday Heroes contest, and had a small Anxiety attack." I told him. Not exactly untrue, but not the complete truth either. Seeing someone wave a gun around is not good for one with Anxiety.

"Do you not have medication for that?" Wells asked with a doubtful eyebrow up. My Anxiety was something we addressed before I actually started my classes here.

"The pills help, sir, but they're not foolproof." I told blankly. Come on, just because you take Anxiety pills, doesn't mean you _never _feel anxious.

"Alright then." He said with a small breath, his eyes narrow. Something tells me he doesn't wholly believe me, but my story is still buyable. "Carry on outside then, with the rest of your class." he told me. I nodded in response. "I hope your Anxiety issue is sorted out soon." He added, if only to be polite.

"Thank you sir." I responded as I left the building.

* * *

Well, the rest of the day past by without much incident. Over the next hour, I simply toured through the school grounds, simply going wherever the wind took me. Spoke with Daniel, Mexican kid here who likes to draw, Brooke, nerdy girl with a drone who has a smaller crush on me than Kate, and had a small exchange with Samuel, the weird, but friendly if you understood him, janitor of Blackwell.

After all that, I got a text from one of the few students at this place that I can really call a friend; Warren Graham. The super science geek at the top of the science class, with me as a close second. I beat him in math though. He also has a major crush on Brooke.

**Warren: Hey Damon. Can you get my flash drive? I need info. And space.  
Warren: Hullo?**

Ah, yes. He lent me his flash drive, full of movies he recommended, and some that I personally requested, for me to transfer onto my laptop. I was just about finished with it, but I think Dana, one of the cheerleaders, borrowed it from me. I'll have to get it back from her.

**Damon: Sorry, bit of a crazy day.  
Damon: I'll go grab it.  
Damon: Meet at the lot in 20.  
Warren: Thx bro-brit  
Warren: I'll be at ur car**

With that, I made my towards the dormitory. With any luck, I won't run into Victoria or her little entourage. Unfortunately, I haven't seen them across the school premised yet, so I'd wager that's where they are now. One way to find out I suppose. The dorm is left to the main Blackwell building, so that's where I went. Lo and behold, I find Victoria and her two friends sitting at the front porch, blocking the entrance. They do that on purpose, I swear.

"Oh look." Victoria sneered at my arrival. "The selfie stud of Blackwell, Damon Azrail." She said, standing up. "What a lame gimmick. Even Mark, Mr Jefferson, falls for your gloomy pommy bullshit." She said, circling around me.

"Yes, yes, get it out of your system." I said boredly as stood in front of me, crossing her arms.

"The Daguerreian Process, sir." Victoria gave a mock British accent. "You could barely even say that. I guess you got your meds filled." She smirked as her followers giggled in unison. I swear, these bitches run on a hivemind.

"Goodness Victoria, I'm sensing a little hostility." I said with a fake concerned tone. "Is it because you genuinely don't like me, or is it because I bruised your ego when I turned down your hooker-like propositions at the start of the semester?" I asked with a mocking smile. I swear, I've never seen her face get so red. I think there might even be a bit of purple there.

"Well, since you an answer for everything…" She sneered, sitting back down on the steps. "How will you get into the dorm? Boys aren't allowed." She said with a triumphant smirk.

"That's not an actual rule." I reminded her. "The sign in the hall is just something a couple of girls put up last year because they were uncomfortable with boys being so close to where they sleep." I returned her smirk as her lips dropped into a frown.

"Well then, find another way in, because we ain't moving." She growled, crossing her arms. I smirked again.

"Well, whilst all three of you could stand to lose a few…" I trailed off with a smirk as they all gasped at me in outrage. "You're not exactly big enough to block the entire entrance." I said, walking slightly to the left and passed one of Victoria's minions. "Lovely playing this little game with you Bitch-whore-ia." i said with a two fingered salute. "Maybe you'll win next time. Tally ho." I smiled deviously. "Emphasis on ho." I added, opening the door. As I entered, I heard Victoria crying out in rage. The smirk on my face was probably unnerving as hell to anyone who saw it as I went up the stairs towards the girl's living space.

* * *

"_Well, this is an interesting development." _I deadpanned as I approached Dana's room. The door was locked, with another girl, Juliet, a light brunette with her long hair tied into a ponytail, leaning on the door, a look of pure anger on her face, coupled with tears falling down her cheeks. She wore a pink skirt, white crop top, and a blue denim jacket. She was pretty, if i'm being honest, but a little too girly for me. "Everything alright here Juliet?" I asked as I approached her.

"Yes, Damon, I locked Dana in my room because everything is alright." She spat sarcastically, clearly quite angry.

"Oh dear. What happened?" I asked empathetically.

"Dana's been sexting with my boyfriend!" She growled, though not particularly at me. I can understand that. I would be upset if I found out one of my exes was sexting one of my friends when we were together. Still though...

"Doesn't sound like something she'd do." I noted, my brow furrowed thoughtfully.

"Why do you even care?" Juliet spat, glaring at me. "You never talk to anyone. You just zone out with your camera or sketchpad. Everyone else is just a passing breeze to you."

"I never talk to anyone because I was never under the impression that anyone wants to talk to me." I told her honestly, which had her taken aback slightly. "But that doesn't mean I don't care." I added.

"Oh really?" She sneered, not quite believing me. "What's my last name."

"Elementary, dear Watson. Elementary." I told her. That earned a small smile. Come on, I couldn't resist! Her last name is Watson, and her first name starts with a J! That one was practically gift wrapped for me!

"I'm flattered…" She said with a small laugh through her tears, wiping some of them away. "I didn't think you even knew my first name. Very punny." She said with a small sniffle.

"Like I said, I do care." I gave a small smile as I crossed my arms. "Now tell me, how did you find out about the alleged sexting?" I asked.

"According to Victoria, Dana would do anything to date a quarterback." Juliet said bitterly. I gave her the flattest stare I could. "What?" She asked in confusion.

"Victoria…" I deadpanned, shaking my head. "I'm no journalist, so I can't really say anything for certain, but she does not seem like a reliable source." I said, running a hand through my hair.

"Why would she lie?" Juliet asked incredulously.

"Because she Dana have been at odds for who knows how long?" I suggested blankly, making the reporter pause. "Quite frankly, I find it more likely that _Victoria _was the one sexting with your boyfriend." I told her. She didn't respond, an expression of hesitance and thought mixed on her face. "Just, give me a moment. I'll pull a Holmes and get this sorted out." I told her, striding off. If I recall, Victoria's room is number 221.

Before I found Victoria's room, I walked past Kate's room, and couldn't help but frown. Every room has a small wide board slate next to their doors, right outside, where they can write something down. Never much saw the point, but to each their own I suppose. I never write on mine. On Kate's, however, someone wrote the words 'Will bang 4 Jesus.' Honestly, these people are awful. Frowning, I wiped the writing away and replaced it.

'_Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.'_

Now, I'm not a religious individual, full on Atheist, actually. But I do know some bible verses from Bible Studies back when I was in England, attending a Catholic school. Photographic Memory, remember? And no, the girls' uniforms are not as attractive as one would think. I chose this particular one because Kate is in a really difficult place right now, and she needs all the strength she can get. This particular verse, Joshua 1:9, fits the scenario quite well I think.

With that done, I made for Victoria's room with a small smile on my face.

Victoria's room was right next to Kate's, which I did not find good at all. I will definitely make sure heavy repercussions fall upon her for what she did to Kate. I just need to decide how. Right now, however, I need to sneak into Victoria's room. No doubt she'll have some kind of evidence to show Dana didn't sext with Juliet's boyfriend. Zachary, I think his name is.

Anywho, I snuck in.

"Christ…" I mumbled under my breath, shaking my head. Victoria's room was full of all the most expensive stuff. Her wardrobe alone could pay tuition, a plasma screen TV, a fancy ass laptop, you name it. She has three life sized photos of herself in a bikini, each with a different pose and different bikini. Then there was a collection of selfie printouts attached to the area above where her head would be when she lays on her bed. "Honestly." I rolled my eyes. And she makes fun of my selfies. Like Jefferson, I do hate that word, but it is easier to say as opposed to 'self portraits.'

Next to her bed, there was even a small bowl with several articles of expensive jewelry. I'm no thief, but I'd so steal from Victoria if only to see her frantically searching for the one tiny earring that's missing from her diamond collection. Also, I saw on her tablet that she was ordering a 3D printer for her room. Christ girl, there's a line somewhere. Not sure where exactly, but that is definitely on the wrong side. And let's not speak of the fancy camera equipment she has.

Rolling my eyes, I sat at her desk and turned her laptop on. Bitch didn't password protect it. First thing I saw was her Facebook page. Have to give her props for the nice landscape image she has uploaded there. Cold fury coursed through my veins as I saw one of the tabs showing off that video of Kate. Victoria will pay for that, I guarantee that.

"_Ah, here we are." _I smirked as I found an email. It mentioned that Victoria informed Juliet about a nasty sext from Dana on the girl's phone, and that Juliet deserves this for 'slutting Zach away.' Honestly, there's Zach, jefferson, me, who else does this bitch want to bonk with? Nonetheless, I just shook my head and printed the email. I'll ruin this bitch at a later date. For now, I'll just grab this email printing and head off back to Juliet.

* * *

"And Sherlock Damon strikes once again." I said as I handed Juliet the email printing. As her eyes scanned over it, she let out a sigh and slumped.

"Of course…" She mumbled, unlocking Dana's door. Dana, a pretty brunette also in a ponytail wearing blue jeans and black, low cut shirt, walked out. "I'm an asshole Dana, I'm sorry." The reporter said, leaning against the wall, ashamed.

"You are, and I hope so." The cheerleader said, crossing her arms. "You really think I'd mess around with Zachary?" She asked, her eyes narrow.

"No, but I get stupid jealous." Juliet sighed, slumping. "I owe you dinner. Still love me?" She asked softly.

"And you do my laundry." Dana bargained, earning a nod from Juliet as she walked off.

"Thank you Damon. You're like the Blackwell Ninja." She said to me with a grateful smile.

"Elementary, dear Watson." I said with an exaggerated bow. Both girls gave a laugh of amusement.

"Thank you for setting me free Damon." Dana said, handing me Warren's flash drive. "Tell Warren his taste in movies is awesome for me." She requested. I nodded as she walked back into her room, closing the door. Finally have the bloody device. Awful lot of trouble for a flash drive.

* * *

"It's just one thing after another, isn't it?" I asked under my breath as I stopped at the edge of the dormitory field. Right on the path, I see David Madsen getting up in Kate's personal space, glaring at her.

"I see everything here at Blackwell." The Security Officer said, still glaring at the poor girl. "Do you understand what I'm saying?" He demanded, pointing at her face.

"No, and, leave me alone!" Kate tried to be firm, but her tone came out incredibly timid. Time to intervene.

"Is there a problem here Madsen?" I asked, approaching the two.

"Excuse us, this is official Campus business." The Head of Security told me, glaring sternly.

"And since my friend seems to be on the verge of tears, I'm making it my business." I returned, getting in between him and Kate. "This girl is going through a very difficult time right now, and you harassing her whilst playing Detective is clearly not helping, so back off." I said, returning his stern glare.

"I'm not playing Detective, I'm doing my job." He returned, anger swelling in his voice.

"Your job does not include interrogating and intimidating students." I shot back.

"I'm not intimidating anyone!" He exclaimed.

"So Kate _isn't _clutching my shoulder whilst shivering and on the verge of tears?" I asked with a raised eyebrow That got his attention, and he turned his gaze to Kate, who was indeed clutching my shoulders, as if hiding behind me. "This is why people don't like or talk to you David." I told him. "You speak to everyone as if they or are about to commit a crime, and anytime someone speaks to you, it feels like you're going to arrest them at any moment." I said, watching as he looked down at the ground. Giving a huff, I turned around, and guided Kate away from him. "You alright?" I asked of her as soon as we got out of David's line of sight.

"Yeah, I will be." Kate said, wiping her tears away. "Thank you Damon, that was great." She said, giving me a bright smile. "I have to go, but before I do, can I ask you something?" She asked. I gave a simple and beckoned her to go on. Suddenly, she seemed rather bashful. "Why?" She asked simply, not meeting my eyes. Oh, I see.

"Well, I could tell you, but only if you promise not to laugh." I said, my cheeks suddenly feeling a little hot.

"I promise." She assured me. I sighed and covered my eyes, mumbling my answer under my breath. "Excuse me?" She asked

"You… you remind of my little sister." I murmured, though loud enough for her to hear. Her eyes widened for a moment at my answer, before her lips curled up. She tried to hold it in, and I have to give her props for that, but she eventually burst into a fit of girlish giggles. I couldn't help but sigh.

"Sorry." Kate continued to giggle, covering her mouth. It took a few moments, but she calmed down. "Thank you for helping me Damon." She said. As I nod at her, she smiled at me and walked off. Meanwhile, I pulled out my cellphone and texted Warren.

**Damon: Got the drive.  
Damon: On my way to the lot.  
Warren: Already there**

With that, I headed over.

* * *

"Here you go." I said to Warren as he leaned on my car, a dark crimson black Chevrolet Camaro. Nothing majorly fancy, and it was second hand, but it's mine. A gift from my mother after I arrived here in Arcadia. Need to get around somehow.

"Thanks Damon." He said, taking the drive and slipping it into his pocket. "What do you think of my new wheels?" He asked, gesturing to the blue car parked right beside my own. An old vehicle, not sure of the model, but I'd say somewhere in the 70s.

"Nice." I nodded in approval. "Very old school. 70s?" I asked. He nodded with a grin.

"78 to be exact. Now I can take Brooke to the Drive-in." He said with a wry smile. Ah, this conversation again...

"If you just asked, I'm certain she'd give you a shot." I assured him.

"Dude, she likes you." He said with a depressed sigh. "Through no fault of your own." he added quickly, seeing my annoyed look.

"Listen, you don't need her to really like you at the moment. First thing, you need to convince her to give you a chance. You can work on getting to like her after that." I told him, crossing my arms. I feel bad knowing that the girl my friend likes actually likes me, but Warren's refusal to act based on that alone gets annoying at times. "Put it this way then..." I trailed off with a devious grin.

"I don't like that look…" Warren mumbled, a hesitant expression on his face.

"You have 24 hours to ask Brooke to accompany you to the Drive-in." I narrowed my eyes and widened my grin. "If not, then you're going to have to be _very _careful about what you eat, lest you eat something spiked with a laxative." I told him, seeing his eyes widen in horror.

"You wouldn't…" He whispered desperately.

"I would." I said evilly. His face pae, he shot off towards his dorm, no doubt intent on planning his approach on Brooke. I couldn't help cackling.

"Hey, Damon Azrail, right?" A voice approached. A voice I knew all too well. Nathan Prescott.

"Can I help you?" I asked boredly. He got real close to me, sneering angrily.

"Yeah, you can tell me what you heard in the bathroom." He spat. I cringed in disgust as some of it hit my face.

"Not much really. I was too focussed on the gun you were waving around." I said simply, shrugging.

"Did you tell anyone?!" He demanded.

"I didn't really care to." That didn't seem to help his anger. "We both know Wells wouldn't punish you, even if you did have a gun, and quite frankly, getting involved with you or your family seems to be more trouble than it's worth." I said with a thin smile. "I'd rather just avoid contact with you Prescotts all together." OK, too far! I had to duck under a punch he threw at my face.

"You son of a bitch!" He yelled.

"Whoa!" I said as I dodged another punch. "Wow Nathan, really?" I asked with an exasperated shake of my head. "Someone doesn't worship your very name and you fall into this kind of rage? You need to see a shrink buddy." I sidestepped another attack. "Or maybe admit into a clinic. That would be better."

"Don't analyse me!" he hollered, his face actually kind of scary. Deranged even. "Don't tell me what to do!" He made to punch me again, but were both knocked to the ground by a beige truck.

"Ow!" I groaned as I hit the ground. Thankfully, I don't think I got any permanent damage. Just a bruise on my leg or something. Shaking my head, I used the truck to get up. I was surprised to see the blue haired girl from earlier driving the truck. She still looks familiar.

Wait, it couldn't be…

"Damon?!" The girl cried out in surprise. It is!

"Chloe!?" I responded in kind. Holy crap, she looks so different! Wait, I was going on about how hot my oldest friend was back in the bathroom!

"Great, you again?" Nathan growled as he got up, clutching his hip. Snarling, he made to walk towards me, but I acted fast. I delivered swift spin kick to the side of the psycho's face, earning a loud grunt of pain as he stumbled out of the street. I then heard a car door opening.

"Damon get in!" Chloe yelled at me frantically. I nodded and quickly jumped into the truck, closing the door.

"Get your punk asses out of there now!" Nathan howled in rage as he got up. "Don't try to run! Nobody messes with me!" He yelled, kicking the truck as Chloe stepped on it. All we heard for the next few seconds was Nathan's enrage screaming.

* * *

"Christ, that wanker is insane." I sighed heavily, slumping into the seat as Chloe drove. "I hope he doesn't vandalize my car." I sighed, turning my attention to Chloe. "You have no idea how ecstatic I am to see you." I told her with a bright smile.

"Likewise." She said, giving a small smile of her own. "You've certainly changed. Black and red huh?" She asked, eying me.

"The pot's calling the kettle blue, as it were." I chuckled. Chloe put on a small smile at my quip.

"Heh, after five years, you're still Damon Azrail." She shook her head.

"Five years indeed." I ran a hand through my hair. "After an insane day like this, it makes sense I'd run into you after it all." I sighed. I still need to figure out that rewind crap.

"So what did that freak want with you?" She asked.

"After today, I sincerely hope nothing." I said with a groan. "I thought it would be quieter hear, I was wrong." I heard her snickering.

"I saw the kick you landed on his head. Nice moves." She gave a grin, which I returned.

"Spent three years attending an MMA dojo." I shrugged.

"So, I guess London sucked hard?" She guessed, her eyes back on the road.

"Not really, just the people." I admitted.

"Really? With the wardrobe change, I'd think you'd fit in with all those pommy bikers." She deadpanned.

"This coming from the girl who looks like the cover of biker girl magazine? Please." I rolled my eyes with a smile.

"At least you're still a smartass." She grumbled.

"My most endearing quality, after my accent, and you know it." I grinned cheekily, earning an eye roll and small smile. "It's what I'm here for after all."

Her smile dropped. "Please, you came back for Blackwell Academy." She said bitterly, frowning. A gesture in imitated.

"And you." I insisted.

"Really? Five years without a call or even a fucking text to your best friend?" She asked doubtfully.

"Moving to a different continent is a huge experience Chloe, and it leaves its mark." I defended.

"And I'm sure your laptop and phone were frozen in time." She shot back. Oh the irony…

"Christ, your ruthless…" I mumbled under my breath.

"You've been in Blackwell for a month without contacting me. Nuff said." She said, still bitter as she drove.

"Ok, fine, I'll give you that one." I conceded. "And you're right, I didn't call, write, text, or email. But keep in mind, neither did you." I reminded her.

"I doubt you use these sad excuses at Blackhell Damon, don't use them on me." Chloe said, her tone signifying this conversation was over. I could only stare at her. What was that supposed to mean? I may not have stayed in touch, but she didn't either!

"_What happened to you Chloe?" _I asked myself, depression sneaking it's way into my chest.

* * *

**OK, I must admit, I had fun writing this chapter. I've always loved Chloe's character, and I really wanted to get to her introduction, so here it is. I also plan on having Damon deal with David very differently to what happened canonically. Just a heads up, I am open to suggestions and requests if there is anything anyone would like to see happen in this story. Or any of the others, really. Don't hesitate to drop a review or send a PM if you have an idea.**


	3. Chrysalis - Part 3

Chloe was quiet for most of the remaining drive. Along the way, I'd noticed that my polaroid camera had broken, probably when she smashed into Nathan and myself. She invited me over to her home so that I could repair it with some of her Stepfather's tools. I was rather amused when she referred to him as 'Step-douche.' Still, I find it hard to imagine Joyce marrying someone who fits Chloe's description of overbearing, bossy, anger-prone, and paranoid.

Anyways, the rest of the ride after that what spent in silence. When we arrived at Chloe's house, I felt a burst of nostalgia and guilt course through me. The house looked the same on the outside, the upper half painted blue. William, Chloe's father, died before he finished painting the walls. It only got worse when we went inside. The house itself is mostly the same, with some obvious differences, but the biggest change was Chloe's room.

Gone was the messy-organised room that I slept in just as often as my own. It was now replaced with a room as chaotic and rundown as Chloe herself, emphasising her change in lifestyle over the past five years. The two trash cans seem to be rarely used, if at all, and there was discarded clothing everywhere. Posters and graffiti littered the walls, and the height chart she kept on the wall with William was scratched out and tarnished with various scribbles and words.

I felt my eyes stinging for a moment, but refused to let it go any further than that. I simply followed Chloe into her room, my face void of emotion.

"My room looks a little different than the last time you saw it." She said, sitting and laying back on her bed.

"That's an understatement." I replied in a deadpan voice, earning at least a twitch upwards from her lips. "Better place to hang than a dorm, at least." I added, walking in.

"My step-fuhrer makes sure this ain't a 'hanging' place for me." Chloe shrugged, pulling out a blunt and lighting it. "Close the door for me, will ya?" She asked. I obliged. "Put on some music while I medicate." She said, letting out a huge puff of smoke.

"Where are the CDs?" I asked, looking about. I couldn't tell a CD box from a bar of soap in here. Then again, I doubt I'd find any kind of cleansing agent in this room.

"Metal box at the foot of the bed." She answered, pointing at the corner on the right. Well, my right, her left. With a nod, I kneeled down and opened the box, surprised at what I found.

It was a photograph, partly folded over, showing the missing girl, Rachel Amber, I think her name was. She wasn't smiling, as one usually does in a photo, but she wasn't crying or frowning. Her lips were curled up slightly, but I'd hardly call that a smile. Her hair was down, and she a blue jay feather hanging from her earring. I undid the fold, and saw it was Chloe, with her arm around Rachel, a hard scowl on her face, and her free hand flipping off the camera.

"_Of course…" _I deadpanned to myself, seeing the picture.

"Hey, gimme that!" Chloe snapped, snatching the picture out of my hands.

"You know, if want a photo kept secret, you might want to avoid telling someone to put on music with a CD that's located in a box with said photo." I said blankly, holding up the aforementioned CD. Chloe gave me a split-second long glare before focussing on the photo, her eyes dropping in sadness. "Seems she was a good friend." I said softly, sitting next to my oldest friend.

"That's an understatement." She mumbled under her breath. "After my Dad died, and you left, I felt abandoned. She was my angel. She saved my life." She sighed.

"So the missing person posters were yours." I surmised. She nodded. "I had no idea." I whispered, guilt coursing through me.

"You never made much effort to find out." Chloe returned bitterly. "We were 14, and best friends."

"I never forgot." I told her firmly. "I may have been a twat and not kept in contact, but you had Rachel." I reminded her, my voice softening.

"Yeah…" She whispered, looking at the photo with longing. "We were going to kick the world's ass together, and we had each other's backs." She sighed. "You would laugh at how different we were. She wanted to be a star, a model. We were going to leave Arcadia and hit LA."

"What happened? Joyce?" I asked.

"Please." Chloe rolled her eyes with a scoff. "Mom was too hooked up on Sergeant Shithead." She spat, glaring at the ground.

"Lovely." I deadpanned. "When did she disappear?" I asked, looking at the photo again.

"About six months ago." Chloe's voice held a sadness and vulnerability that I'd never seen in her before as she spoke. "She just up and left Arcadia. Without a word… Without me…" Her breath hitched.

"How do you know she disappeared and didn't run off?" I asked skeptically.

"Unlike you, she would have told me." Chloe snapped. "Something happened to her." The finality in her sentence was tangible.

"Alright then." I conceded. "What happened last time you saw her?" I asked.

"Well, before she left, she said she met someone who changed her life. Then, poof." She sighed in depression. "Just like everyone in my life. Gone. My Dad, you, and then Rachel." She wiped away a single tear that was threatening to fall. "Could you… put the music on now?" She asked shakily, laying back down. With a nod, I went over to the CD player and fired it up with the CD. The first song that played was Santa Monica Dream. As the song played, Chloe lay back and continued blazing. I myself pulled out my vape, a Sigelei T-200 device with a Themis RTA tank. The tank was filled with a raspberry and pineapple flavour. A few moments of silence passed as the two of us inhaled our preferred poisons. "You can get the tools you need from the garage." She told me. I nodded and got up, putting my vape in my pocket, and leaving my backpack behind.

"You going to be OK?" I asked softly.

"Yeah. I just want to be alone to blaze for a little while." She told me.

"Been there." I said with a wry smile, leaving the room.

* * *

Before I went to the garage, I took a moment to walk around the house that I spent half my childhood in. Joyce and William's room, or rather, Joyce and her new husband's room, was pretty much the same. A bird, a blue jay coincidentally, was dead on the window sill, so I rewound and opened the window, allowing the bird to fly in and land on the cupboard. I couldn't help but smile. It'll fly out the window eventually if I close the door.

As I went downstairs, I sat on the old couch, the same one Chloe and I used to play pirates on, and couldn't help but smile. Then, I noticed a light red stain on the carpet and had to laugh. Chloe and I had found a bottle of red wine that her parents had bought, after they made the mistake of leaving us alone. Chloe dared me to drink, but I insisted that she go first, which she did. By her expression, it was clear that it tasted awful, but she maintained that it was tasty. When I told her to hand the bottle over, she refused and said it wasn't for children. That day wasn't the first, nor the last time I had to emphasise that she was only half a year older than I am. Anyway, we ended up spilling the whole bottle. We tried our damndest to clean it up, but it left a stain, and boy did we get busted by Joyce and William.

Shaking my head, wiping away a small tear, I got up and went straight to the garage. No more distractions.

*Bleep*

"Of course…" I mumbled, grabbing my phone and opening my texts. It was from Kate.

**Kate: Thx again for helping me Damon. :) You're the best.  
Damon: Don't worry about it.  
Damon: He was being an ass.**

Kate didn't reply, so I carried on with my business. The garage looked the same as it did way back when, with some additions. Portraits that I didn't spare any attention, a deer's head mounted on the wall, and a crap load of other stuff I didn't pay attention to. Instead, I just looked through the cupboards. None of them had the tools I needed, but one of them did have a small TV. Curiosity getting the better of me, I turned it on.

It showed live footage of the whole house.

"The fuck?" I whispered, my eyes wide. "Mr 'stepdouche' put security cameras in all the rooms." I said, my tone disbelieving as the image shifted from Joyce's bedroom, to the front door, to the garage, to the dining room, and then outside. I'm not sure if it showed Chloe's room, but I didn't really care. I was invading privacy enough as is, so I immediately turned it off. "Twat's fuckin paranoid." I mumbled as I closed the cupboard, looking around. I spied a small box on a shelf. The box was resting on a couple of files, so I made to grab them. Instead of me grabbing the box however, it fell to the ground, taking the files with it. "Shit!" I cursed, picking up the box. It, and the files, had fallen into a small puddle of oil.

Shaking my head in annoyance, I opened the box. Bullets. Probably for the guns that were displayed in a case in the corner. One was missing, though I'd wager it was on the owner's person right now. Shaking my head, I placed the box on back on the shelf and picked up the now soaked files. I was about to rewind to undo the damage, but one of the pictures caught my attention. As I opened the file, my eyes widened.

Pictures of Kate.

"For serious?" I asked under my breath. A picture Kate walking down the stairs, one where she walked through the dorm hall, another where the photographer, and I use that term loosely, was clearly hidden behind a bush. "Fucking creeper." I growled. I'll have to have a word with him at some point in time. Scowling, I dropped the file and rewound, bringing the now undamaged file back up to its original place up on the shelf.

Eventually, I found the tools I was looking for. They were stacked on top of the washing machine. I tried to reach for them, to no avail. Mainly due to the fact that they were on top of several other objects stacked up there. Unfortunately, I accidentally activated the device. The vibrations brought the box down, but they landed behind a workbench, where I can't get to them. So, I rewound, and slipped a sheet of cardboard under the workbench and repeated my previous action, which brought the tools to the ground again, though this time on the cardboard. Then it was a simple matter of pulling the cardboard out from under the workbench, and voila.

Smiling with a little pride in myself, I took the tools right back to Chloe's room to fix my camera.

* * *

"You have got to be shitting me." I groaned after about an hour of trying to fix my camera. After I'd returned, Chloe said I could sit at her desk and work. Unfortunately, my camera has officially taken a shit.

"That bad?" Chloe asked, sitting up.

"Yep." I sighed. "The processing rollers are bent beyond repair, and they cost a small fortune to replace." I massaged my temples. "I'm gonna have to go digital, and that's not cheap either." I slumped in the chair. "Mum's going to kill me."

"These your new photos?" She asked, walking up beside me.

"Yeah, the last ones I'll ever take with this guy." I sighed mournfully.

"Wait a minute…" Chloe mumbled under her breath. "I've seen this before!" She held up the photo I took of the blue butterfly and it's reflection. "You took this photo you brat?" She asked with a wide grin.

"And for the first time in five years, I reiterate, you're only six months older than me." I groaned with a facepalm.

"It was you who set off the alarm, in the bathroom today, wasn't it?" She demanded, giving me an intense look. "It hella makes sense; that's why Nathan raged after you!" She realised.

"Hella…" I repeated, giving her a blank look. "Another word the Americans have defiled my mother tongue with." I sighed.

"Fuck that." Chloe waved a dismissive hand. "You so saved my life." She said, her voice going down as she stared right into my eyes. "Tell me the truth." She said simply.

Sighing, I relented. "Yes, you're right." I told her, making her grin widely. "I was the bathroom, and I'm the one who off the fire alarm." I conceded.

"Dude! You're like a ninja!" She said cheerfully.

"You're the second one to compare me to a ninja today." I rolled my eyes. "All I did was take a butterfly photo and pull an alarm. I wasn't even sure how Nathan would react." I admitted.

"It was badass, no matter what you think." Chloe crossed her arms with a smirk. "So, did you recognise me?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"A bell rang in the back of my mind, but I couldn't place it." I narrowed my eyes at her. "I was too busy trying to figure out what kind of fucked up drug deal was going on." I told her, and expectant look on my face.

"I'll… tell you soon." She said, seeming uncomfortable. Understandable enough I suppose. "Now, I have to ask, did you tell anyone?" She asked firmly.

"Right, like Principal Wells is going to anything about a precious Prescott waving a gun around." I snarked in a sarcastic tone. "You and I both know that the Prescotts have any and all authority figures in Arcadia Bay in their back pockets." I said bluntly. "There is nothing to gain by telling anyone."

"Thank fuck." Chloe sighed in relief. "You're right not to trust Wells." She told me. "Drunk jackass only cares about cash for the Academy." She frowned.

"I am aware." I shrugged.

"I owe you." She said, going over to the shelf, kneeling. She rummaged around the shelves for a bit, looking for something, before she finally found what she was looking for, judging by the smile she put on. "I know you're birthday was a month ago, but I want you to have this." She said, handing a polaroid camera over to me, a better model than my now broken one. Wait a minute… "It was my real father's camera." She told me, her voice holding a twinge of sadness at the mention of William.

"Chloe…" I breathed out, looking at her as I stood up. "It's really sweet that you remembered my birthday, but I can't take this." I told her, handing the camera back. She shook her head and pushed my hand back.

"Dad would be pissed if I let it sit around collect dust." She insisted. "With you, I know it will be used awesomely." She smiled at me. I was still reluctant, but I conceded. "And I'll snag this as a symbol of our reunion, cool?" She bargained, holding up the blue butterfly picture.

"Yeah, cool." I sighed, smiling despite myself. "Thank you Chloe." I said with the most sincere smile I could. Wow, I must be better looking than I thought, because that even got Chloe to blush like a schoolgirl.

"Now that the mushy shit is out of the way, let's rock!" She said quickly, scampering over to the CD player. I had to laugh. "Let's turn this place upside down!" She cheered, playing some loud punk music.

"You're nuts!" I laughed, placing the camera down on the desk.

"Yep, I'm fucking insane in the brain!" Chloe whooped as she started dancing. "Come on dance! Shake that snowy white ass!" She hopped up onto the bed and started dancing. "Or take a pic with your new camera!' She suggested, dancing. I shook my head, smiling as I picked up the camera once more, photographing her dancing. I kept the smile as I looked at the photo. She looks so happy. "Hey, catch me!" She cried out as I put the camera down.

"What?" I asked, turning my head just in time to see her jump. "Shite!" I yelped as I caught her by her waist. She laughed loudly as I spun her. Having gotten over my shock, I laughed along with her. Man have I missed this girl. Ah, who am I kidding? She's a woman now.

"Chloe! How many times have I told you to stop blasting that punk shit!" A voice from outside the room howled. Wait, I know that voice...

"Shit! Put me down!" Chloe hissed. I did as she asked, and she quickly went over to the CD player and turned it off. "There! You happy now!" She yelled at whom I presume to be her stepfather.

"We need to talk! I'm coming up!" The man yelled back.

"Fuck! You've got to hide!" Chloe hissed urgently. "Stepdouche hates it when I bring people in here." She warned. We both frantically looked for a place to hide, before something struck me. Chloe left her ashtray on the desk.

"Joint!" I hissed, pointing at the tray. Her eyes widened and she quickly scampered over to it and did the first thing that popped into her head; she threw it out the window.

"Be cool!" She hissed. I nodded and quickly sat down at the desk, pretending to work on fixing my camera again as the man walked in. Guess who?

"Chloe!" David Madsen, the Head of Security of Blackwell whom I tore a new one in earlier, barked at his apparent stepdaughter. Then, he noticed me. "What are you doing here?" He demanded, glaring at me.

"I could ask you the very same question." I said with a raised eyebrow. "You're the stepdouche?" I asked, mostly for comical effect. I'd figured that out by now. At least Chloe was snickering.

"Why are you here?" He ignored, glaring. "I don't like strangers in my house." He growled.

"Firstly, it's Joyce's house, not yours. Second, if you married her, I would assume Joyce told you of her oldest friend, Klare Azrail?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. His eyes widened.

"You're Joyce's godson?" he asked in shock.

"Indeed I am." I confirmed. "I stopped by today to catch up with my oldest friend, with whom I've been attached at the hip to since daycare." I said, gesturing to Chloe. "I heard Joyce got remarried, but I wasn't aware it was you." I said, sending Chloe a look. She rolled her eyes with a frown. "Anyways, I guarantee you, I am no stranger to this house. In fact, I've more than likely slept in this house more nights than you have. And you _live _here." I told him. He glared at me before turning to Chloe, apparently deciding to end our conversation here.

"One of my guns is missing." He said to her. "Did you take it?" He asked. More like demanded, but I digress.

"No, I didn't take your gun." Chloe said with a scoff, sitting on her bed with her arms crossed. "You do know I believe in gun control right?" She asked snarkily. For some reason, I don't really believe her.

"Chloe, I will have you running around with my gun. Look me in the eye, and tell me the truth, that's an order." Madsen growled.

"For God's sakes, I didn't take your gun, Private." She sneered out the word 'private' like an insult. Well, it is the lowest possible rank in the US military, so… Anyway, David simply growled and stormed off, slamming the door. Clearly, my conversation with him earlier today had no effect. Shame.

"You totally took the gun, didn't you?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. She looked at me with wide, fake-hurt eyes.

"Don't you trust me?" She asked, placing a hand over her heart, throwing her head back dramatically.

"No." I said bluntly. "Now fess up." I told her. She pouted, which I admit was rather cute on her, before speaking.

"The name's Price." She whispered, whipping out a Smith and Wesson M-10 revolver. It's a low-caliber gun, but I'd rather she not point it at me like she is now. "Chloe Price." Ah, James Bond references.

"Price is high apparently." I deadpanned, pushing the barrel to point anywhere except my face.

"Chillax brotha, it's not loaded. Yet." She told me with a sneaky smile.

"I thought you believed in gun control." I remarked.

"Yes, I believe I should control the gun. It's the men that need to be checked." I flipped her the bird for that one. "With obvious exceptions!" She added quickly. "I mean, you trust David or Nathan?" She challenged.

"Valid." I conceded.

"That was awesome when you tore into him though." She grinned. I could only offer a small smile in return. "Stepdouche ain't a match for the dynamic duo, back together again!" We shared a laugh. "Anywho, let's sneak out the window. I wanna pick up my blunt and get out of this hickhole. There's another place we can hang." She said, walking up to the window.

"As long as we stop at a drive-thru or something first. I need coffee. My treat." I told her.

"Deal." She agreed, opening the window.

"Ladies first." I said with a bow, earning an eye roll as she climbed over her desk, out the window. Smiling, I pocketed my vape, and slung my backpack over my shoulder, following her out of the window. We slipped into her truck and she drove off to wherever she was taking us. But not before stopping at a Starbucks.

* * *

Imagine my surprise when Chloe stops at the cliff pathway. In complete silence, we sipped our Starbucks coffee as we strolled up the path. As we neared the lighthouse, I stopped for a moment. This was the _exact _same path I took in that strange dream/vision I had in Jefferson's class. Just, without the weird tornado, storm, wind, and rain, etc. It was quite peaceful, if I'm being honest. I'm not usually an outdoors person, but this place is beautiful.

"_Serious Deja vu." _I thought to myself, shaking my head as I continued on the path. When I got the top, I found that Chloe had already taken a seat on the bench. "This seat taken?" I asked with a small smile, which she returned.

"Have a seat, Pete." She said cheerfully.

"It's Damon, and you seem to be in a good mood." I observed, sitting beside her as she sipped her coffee. It's amazing how it stays hot for so long.

"Seeing my stepdork all tongue-tied makes me happy." She said with a happy smile.

"I have to admit, I wasn't expecting David Madsen of all people to be your stepfather." I told her. "He's a bit of a hardass. I can't imagine having to live with him." I said, looking at the sunset. "Is he always like that?" I asked.

"Ever since my desperate Mom dragged him into our home." Chloe spat out, glaring nothing in particular. "I never trusted him."

"I ask because I don't speak to him. He's good at his job, but he's far from pleasant, so I kept out of his way." I frowned, remembering earlier at Blackwell. "He freaked out on my friend Kate."

"Kate Marsh? I know her. She's sweet. Only David would hassle her."

"He has good intentions, but he's going about it completely wrong."

"He has files hidden in the garage. Rambo still thinks he's gathering intelligence."

"Clearly he's looking in the wrong place." Chloe and I shared a grin at my quip. "Anyways, I saw the files. He had pictures of Kate and several other students."

"Prick's paranoid as hell."

"War will do that to you."

"Who's side are you on?"

"Mine. My Grandfather is a veteran as well, of the Nigerian Civil War. I've seen first hand what war can do to a person. You should be thankful he's not worse, because Grandad is." Ok, quick clarification, I love my Grandfather. He's great guy, great grandparent, and a great soldier. But anyone can see, clear as day, that it has had its effect on him. I've seen him have panic attacks, flashbacks, and more. I remember seeing him pale when he taught me how to use a gun a few years ago.

"Whatever. It doesn't excuse him though. He has a total surveillance fetish! I'm worried there are spy cams in my house."

"There are."

"What?!"

"I saw the screen when I was looking for the tools."

"That bastard is so hella fucking paranoid!" Wow, I think I heard and echo. "I'll keep this a secret for now…" She sighed. "Guess that's why I'm so miserable. Everybody in this town knows everybody's secrets."

"And Nathan?" I asked.

"He's an elite asshole who sells bad shit cut with laxative." Chloe said bluntly.

"Crude terminology, but alright." I said beckoning her to continue.

"He dosed me with something in his room." She went on, quietly this time. I froze.

"What?" I growled, white hot rage coursing through me. "What did the fucker do? Tell me now Chloe." I hissed. Chloe seemed quite take aback by my anger.

"I met him in some bar that didn't card me. He was too rich for the place and too wasted. He kept flashing bills, too..." I didn't say a thing. "I thought he was so blazed that it would be an easy score."

"You needed money that bad?"

"Yeah,I owe big time…" She nodded. "I thought I'd have enough for me and Rachel if she showed up..."

"Must be a heavy debt."

"Three grand, plus interest." Chloe replied.

"Christ."

"Yeah."

"So what happened after you saw him?"

"We went to his Blackwell dorm. We drank, I laughed at his rich kid bullshit, and he slipped something into my beer." Her face was visibly angry at this point. "When iI woke up, the perv was smiling at me with a camera." She shuddered slightly.

"How did you get out?" I asked hesitantly.

"It's all a blur. I tried to kick him in balls, but broke a lamp instead. He was freaked, so I was able to bum rush the door high tail it outta there." She sighed. "Damon, it was insane."

"I'm fucking furious right now." I spat. "Remind me to nail him in the bollocks tomorrow." She smiled in amusement, ever so slight as it was. "I hate to ask, but he didn't… you know… did he?" I asked. Chloe shook her head.

"No. I uh… gave myself a look over afterwards. Even if he intended to go that far, he never got to." She shuddered again. This is not a pleasant thing to talk about for her apparently. "Anyway, I figured I could him pay to keep me quiet. So I told him to meet me in the bathroom." She explained.

"And here we are now." I finished for her. She nodded.

"I'm still tripping over the fact that you saved my life." She smiled at me. "Seeing you today after all these years feels like…" She trailed off.

"Fate?" I asked. She didn't , she stood up walked over to the edge of the cliff. I followed, standing beside her.

"If this is fate, I hope we can find Rachel soon." Chloe whispers with some longing in her voice. "I miss her, Damon." She told me sadly, before glaring at the town. "This stupid town has taken everyone I've ever loved! I want to drop a bomb on this place and turn it to fucking glass." She hissed in disdain. Everyone she ever loved? Does that include me I wonder?

I was about to respond, but all of a sudden, I felt a familiar feeling course through my entire body. It was similar to what I feel when I rewind, but more intense. It was dizzying, not to mention the excruciating migraine I suddenly got as I stumbled backwards. I groaned loudly in pain as my vision started to blur. I heard Chloe call out my name as everything went black.

* * *

_I was back in the storm, right back where I started earlier, only this time, I was standing up, not lying on the ground. A few metres in front of me, I saw a black shape moving. It took a moment for the image to clear up, but I was able to make out what it was._

_A wolf._

_Its fur was pitch black, and it's piercing red eyes bore into my silver ones. They showed no hostile, wild, or feral traits. In fact, it's eyes showed incredible intelligence. It was both unnerving as hell, especially in this storm, and fascinatingly mesmerizing. With a simple tilt of it's head, the strange wolf turned and walked up the hill. Every instinct I had screamed at me to follow it, so that's what I did._

_It led me uphill, just like the last time I was in this storm dream. I was nearly trampled by a rockslide at one point in time, but I was able to rewind my way out of that mess. I heard the rocks fall behind me, but I pressed on in my pursuit of the strange wolf. Again, I was nearly trampled, but this time by a falling tree. I rewound just as it was a few centimetres away from my face, hurrying after the wolf. When I got to the lighthouse, the wolf was gone._

_Cliche as it might seem, a newspaper slammed into my face in the wind. Grunting, I yanked it off, seeing the date on it. "The fuck?" I whispered. Friday, 11th of October, four days from now. "Oh no…" I breathed, seeing the horizon. The huge, strange tornado was there, headed right for the town. _

**(Play: Obstacles - Syd Matters)**

_The feeling of a hand on my shoulder caught my attention, and I turned._

* * *

I was face to face with Chloe, standing in the exact same spot I was before, sweating pinballs down my forehead, and probably paler than one would think possible. Chloe was looking at me with a panicked worry, trying to talk to me. I didn't 'not hear her' per se. It was more like her words were not registering in my mind. There was too much stimulation, and my legs felt like jelly. It wasn't more than a few seconds before I fell to my knees,

"Damon?" Chloe asked softly, kneeling before me. "Are you OK? You blacked out on me."

"It can't be real… it shouldn't be…" I was whispering to myself. I didn't really register the irony of that statement until later.

"What couldn't be real?" Chloe asked, her hands on my shoulders.

"Today, before the bathroom, I had a weird dream." I breathed out, my breath still escaping me. "There was a storm, a tornado. I-I was here, at the lighthouse. Lightning struck and…" I stopped, pale as snow.

"What? What's wrong?" Chloe asked, panicking. I ignored her.

"It might be connected to what happened in the bathroom… Or is it Jefferson?" I asked myself, more rambling on than anything else.

"What do Nathan and a Photography teacher have to with now?" Chloe asked, utterly bewildered.

"No, not them." I shook my head, massaging my temples. "In the bathroom, when Nathan brought out the gun. Something happened." I told her. "Something I can't explain."

"What?" Chloe demanded, wanting answers.

"It supposed to be impossible. I don't know how, but I-" I stopped as something cold hit my face. "The fuck?" I breathed out, seeing a snowflake fall into my palm.

"Snowflakes?" Chloe asked the air as we stood up. "How? It's 80 degrees!" She protested, looking around us. It was indeed snowing in Autumn.

"A storm is coming." I whispered. Now is not the time to reference Game of Thrones Damon.

Chloe looked at me seriously. "Damon, start from the beginning." She all but ordered me. "What happened?"

I looked at her, then out at the town. The town I called home since I was born. Since my parents moved here from England during my mother's pregnancy. Since my mother and her best friend, Joyce Price, took both of their children to the same Day Care. Since I met the woman that stood here with me, back when we were toddlers.

Since I returned, after five years.

* * *

**OK, so the first episode is done. Not gonna lie, I'm quite stoked to see where this story goes. I specifically modelled Damon to be incredibly similar, but incredibly different to Max. A love of photography, but with a darker twist. Not nearly as 'nosy' as Max can be, but still curious and interested in other people's lives and/or business. He's much more decisive and intelligent than Max, and he's quick to think. He's just as introverted as Max, if not more so, and rather self-conscious, but only with a few a things. He's a logical thinker with an artistic view; best of both. He's also quite devious and downright dark and/or sadistic at times, but still a nice guy. There is more, but I'm sure you'll all see it soon enough.**

**Essentially, he's the epitome of Black and White becoming Grey at a moment's notice.**

**Now, concerning the wolf. It was never really confirmed what the doe represents in Life is Strange. Some say it's Rachel's spirit animal, but I disagree. I am of the opinion that the bluejay is Rachel's spirit animal, and that the doe is MAX'S Spirit Animal. This means that Rachel's spirit is calling out to Max, manifesting itself as Max's spirit animal; a doe. In the case of Damon, Rachel would be calling out to him, and manifesting as his spirit animal instead; a wolf.**


	4. Out of Time - Part 1

"Insomnia, thou art a heartless bitch…" I grumbled to myself as I tossed and turned in bed in my dorm room. Nothing overly fancy. My bed had plain grey bedding, a few posters of my favourite bands and/or musicians, not to mention a few copies of photographs from my favourite photographers, a few of my paintings and drawings, and a collection of photographs I took on the wall above my head. My desk had a laptop and radio resting on it, along with a few books, and a small fish bowl with a red Siamese Fighter swimming around in it, dubbed Hook. I won't bore you with any more details.

I let out a sigh as I stared at the ceiling. I didn't get much sleep last night. Not unusual, I am an insomniac, but this was different. I was still freaking out on the inside about the freaky snow, the tornado vision, and this rewind power that I cannot for the life of me figure out. Why do I have it? How did I get it? What the hell am I supposed to do with it? All thoughts that plagued my mind throughout the night.

I suppose I could rewind to catch a few more winks, but I don't see much point. So, with that in mind, I got up with a groan, picking up my cell phone. I had several texts from two people; Chloe and Kate.

**Kate: Hi Damon.  
Kate: Do you still have my copy of The October Country?  
Kate: I kind of need it  
Damon: No problem.  
Damon: I'll bring it by once I've freshened up.  
Damon: 30 minutes or so.  
Kate: Thx**

And now for Chloe.

**Chloe: U there Damon Doom  
Damon: For you, always. ^^  
Chloe: NO EMOJI  
Damon: ;P  
Chloe: For reals tho, we should talk  
Chloe: Meet at Two Whales at 9  
Damon: BREAKFAST (^_^)  
Chloe: KILL IT WITH FIRE  
Chloe: Do not be late  
Damon: Won't. :)  
Chloe: U r evil  
Damon: Please spell like you speak English.  
Damon: My eyes hurt.  
Chloe: Tis called Chloeprician. Lurn it bich**

I couldn't help but grin. I've so missed my witty back and forth banter with Chloe. Despite all the shit going on in my life in recent times, it feels so great to have Chloe back in my life. She's not the same, sweet, artistic, and intelligent girl she once was, but at the same time, she is. She's stubborn, mischievous, and rebellious, but I can see in her eyes that she's still caring, sensitive, and strong, like she was when we were children. She's grown up. But hey, so have I.

I used to be a naive, over-sensitive, innocent, cheerful, and wild little boy. Now, I've been told that I'm sharp, snarky, witty, smart, devious, sometimes dark, and borderline sadistic. I used to be known as 'the good boy' amongst my peers. Not so much anymore. I'm not a wild criminal stoner on heroine, but I've gotten in and out of my fair share of trouble. I've managed to temper it these past few months, but something tells me Chloe is going to throw that down the shitter. Not that I'll let her drag me too deep into the lion's den, but I'd like to spend some time with my oldest friend, and get to know her again.

Getting up out of my bed, I stretch out with a groan. I don't usually wear pajamas. I just sleep in a shirt and tracksuit pants. Since I'm wearing a sleeveless shirt, my arms are in full view, showing off my scars and tattoos. On my left wrist, I have the punisher skull symbol. On my left pec, I have an owl with its wings out and a snake in its talons. On my right shoulder, I have a song title written in really cool font; Truly Madly Deeply. On my right outer bicep, I have a wolf with a raven perched on its back. The scars are from a particularly emo phase back when I was 16 and 17.

With a deep sigh, I grabbed my shower kit and left my dorm, being sure to lock the door; a habit I made sure to adopt when I first came here. I find it sad that every student has to keep a shower kit. Some time ago, before I arrived I think, someone filled the shampoo bottles in the shower with hair removal cream, and a couple of students lost their hair, more than half of them being girls. Yeah, nuff said.

The boy's dorm floor was a mess, really. It was disgusting. Vandalism and graffiti everywhere, toilet paper, the works. The diagram that shows which students go where is all but destroyed, and don't get me started on the TV lounge. I never go in there. The bathrooms aren't that bad, but they're still gross. The showers at least have a modicum of tidiness and cleanliness.

As I entered the shower room, I saw Warren standing at one of the basins, brushing his teeth.

"Warren." I greeted with a small smirk, seeing him freeze at my presence.

"Damon!" he greeted with an awkward, scared grin.

"Have you asked Brooke to the Drive-in yet?" I asked casually, striding over to the cleanest of the showers; the furthest one.

"Uh, well… You see… The thing is…" He stammered.

"That's a no." I shrugged, flinging my towel over the shower door as I turned to face him. Reaching into my kit, I pulled out a small, white, pill box. "Do you know what this is?" I asked with devious smile, seeing him pale. "These are laxatives, _British _laxatives. I'll say this right now, we Brits know our shit." I warned, grinning sadistically. He made a hasty retreat. And you know what the funniest part was? I was actually holding my anxiety pills. Shaking my head, I stripped off what clothes I had on and got in the shower, sighing blissfully as I felt the hot water.

* * *

After showering, brushing my teeth, and taking my medication, I headed back to my dorm, surprised to find Victoria there, trying to open the door. She growled in frustration, yanking on the handle. See, this is why I lock my door every time I leave my dorm. I have a nasty habit of pissing people off, and I'd rather they not take it out on my room. Shaking my head in amusement, I approached her, and her faithful minion Taylor.

"Can I help you with something ladies?" I asked, leaning on the wall. They yelped and turned to face me, shock turning to anger quickly, and their anger turning to embarrassment/delight even quicker. For you see, I hadn't bothered to put my shirt back on after my shower. I just slipped on my pants and flung my shirt and towel over my shoulder, leaving my torso exposed. By their red faces, they liked what they saw. I'm not a ripped body builder or anything, but three years of MMA does build up some muscle. I have nice four pack abs, great biceps, and a well developing chest. Still room for improvement though.

"I… We… you…" Taylor stammered, looking at my torso shamelessly. Victoria seemed to hold an expression that rapidly went back and forth between enraged and dreamy. If she was any redder, I think steam might have come out of her ears.

I grinned deviously. "See something you like?" I asked, bouncing my pecs. If their eyes were any wider, they would have popped out. Victoria let out a sound that seemed to be a mix of an enraged growl and a lion's purr before storming off. Taylor, albeit hesitantly, followed. As soon as they were gone, I heard two people burst into fits of laughter. It seems the local skaters of Blackwell, Justin and Trevor, saw the whole thing, and found it hilarious.

"Dude! Nice!" Trevor called out to me, giving me a thumbs up. I returned it with a grin before entering my dorm again. Honestly, people say men are easily manipulated with a woman's body, but it works vice versa too!

Seriously though, I never thought of myself as that desirable. Sure, I've been with a few girls, bedded a couple of them as well, but I didn't think I was that attractive. I mean, Kate, Brooke, Victoria, now Taylor, and I even made Chloe blush yesterday. I must be more of a stud than I thought. Damn, if that isn't an ego boost, I don't what is. Nonetheless, I do have things I need to do, so I'll think about it at a later date.

* * *

I got dressed, switching out my long sleeve shirt for a simple black T-shirt, and packed all my things. I decided to leave my books and whatnot behind and just come back for them later, before classes start for the day. I slipped on my jacket, pocketed my phone, wallet, and vape before grabbing my camera and Kate's book. As I was about to leave however, I stopped. My eyes slowly turned to the drawer at my desk. With a slight sigh, I walked over to said drawer and opened it, reaching to the very back, and then grabbing the object that was strapped to the top of the drawer. I pulled it out and stared at it.

It was a black Desert Eagle with purely cosmetic tiger stripes.

It was a gift from my grandfather after I arrived here in Arcadia, for my birthday. He wired the money into my bank account and all but ordered me to buy a weapon. Since I was young I've had a fascination with weapons, mostly knives and guns. Gun laws are very different in England, but here in America I can own this no problem, especially since I was born here. With a bit of help from my mother, I was able to acquire all the legalities needed to own a gun, and this one was my choice.

It's loaded with rubber bullets of course, I'd rather not kill someone, but I do have some live ammunition. Considering what happened with Nathan yesterday, I think I find myself agreeing with Chloe. I don't think I should walk around Arcadia unarmed right now. So, with that in mind, I grabbed the holster that i for my gun, one that attacks to the back of my belt, and slipped it on, holstering the gun. Thankfully, it was easily concealed by my shirt and jacket.

Then I went to the girl's dorm to see Kate and deliver her book for her. Imagine my surprise when I find Juliet and Brooke leaning against the 'No Boys Allowed' sign that one of the students put up some time ago. They were each watching a video on their phones.

I really hope it's not the video I think it is.

"Hello ladies." I greeted them, approaching.

"Hey Damon." Juliet greeted me with a grin. "You sleep good?" She asked.

"Not really, but that's nothing new for me." I replied honestly, earning some amusement. "And you?" I asked.

"Too busy planning revenge on Victoria and Zach." She shrugged,looking back at her phone.

"Brooke." I greeted with a polite smile, seeing the blushing nerdy girl twirling the tip of her ponytail around her finger. It's was kind of cute, if I'm being honest, but she's still not my type.

"Hi Damon." She greeted in her usual clear, slightly deep voice. She wasn't the kind to go all giddy around a boy, but she's still showing some typical signs of interest.

"Hey, you check out Kate's hot video yet?" Juliet asked with a suggestive grin, showing me her screen. I frowned heavily at her.

"No, I have not. And I have no intention of doing so." I told her, crossing my arms. "That's really not cool of you, either of you." I said to the two girls before me. As Brooke looked down, her expression downcast, Juliet scoffed.

"I'm not the one who got wasted on camera before getting busy with the Vortex Club." She haughtily replied, crossing her arms.

"Kate's not that kind of girl, and you know it." I gave a light glare. "As a journalist, you shouldn't believe any bit of info that comes your way." I told her scoldingly. "Case in point, Dana sexting Zach." I reminded her.

"She paused. "Touche." She sighed, slumping. "Now I feel like an asshole." She closed the video and pocketed her phone. "Thanks for finding out the truth yesterday. I owe you one." She told me, smiling slightly.

"You do anything about Victoria yet?" i asked with a raised eyebrow.

She smirked. "Not yet, but I'm thinking. My mind works in devious ways sometimes." She informed me.

"Glad to see you up and at em again." I nodded.

"You have a good heart Damon." She smiled at me softly. "I won't watch Kate's video anymore. Or pass it around." She promised me.

"Neither will I." Brooke intervened softly, still downcast.

"Thank you, both of you." I nodded at them.

"Sure, talk to you later." Juliet said.

"Later." I agreed.

"Later." Brooke smiled at me. I returned the smile as I went over to Kate's room, past Victoria's.

I growled under my breath as I saw Kate's slate. This time around, it said 'Will Bang For God' with a crudely drawn image of a woman's behind on it. I scowled heavily as I wiped it off, thinking of something to replace it with. Last time, I went with a Bible quote, as I know Kate's faith means a lot to her, so I decided to go the same direction, just a different quote.

'_I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.' _

There we go. Psalm 16:8. Another quote about strength and perseverance in difficult times. Kate can make it through this, I know she can, but not by herself. It was my hope that by writing these Bible quotes, I would be able to help her find the strength she needs. Is that all I can do though? Hope?

"Kate?" I asked softly, knocking on the door. "You in there?"

"Yeah, come in Damon." Wow, she even sounds gloomier than she did before. That's not a good sign. Worry making itself comfortable in my chest, I entered the room, surprised to find it so dark. The curtains were closed, Kate's violin, which she hasn't played since last week, lay on her couch, almost discarded in a way, and a bunch over her clothes were discarded on the ground, which is the equivalent of a pigsty for a neat freak like Kate. Damn, she's really not doing well.

"Here you go." I said softly, placing the book on her desk, where she was sitting, resting her head on her hand.

"Damon, why did you step between me and David yesterday?" She asked, looking up at me with intense eyes. Well that came out of nowhere.

"I hate bullies, and care about you." I answered, immediately and simply. "I believe David has good intentions, but he went to far there. He should have known better."

"I was hoping he would, but it is nice to see you care about me." She told me with a small smile, before dropping it. "Even if it's only because I remind you of your sister." She mumbled sadly. Yeah, in retrospect, I probably shouldn't have told her that.

"That's just one of the reasons." I told her firmly, crossing my arms. "Yes, you remind me of Jen, my sister, but I care about _you_ as well." I assured her. She put on a small smile at that. "Now, what exactly happened with David yesterday? Why did he freak out on you?" I asked.

"He's a total paranoid ass!" Kate growled, though not necessarily at me. It was surprising to hear her cursing too. "He thinks I'm part of the Vortex Club. Right." She huffed.

"No doubt because of the video." I said thoughtfully. She looked up at me with horror and betrayal. "No, I have not watched it." I said, slightly offended that she would think that I would. "And I have no intention of doing so." I added, seeing her sigh in relief.

"Thank you Damon." She said to me sincerely. "Do you have any idea how humiliating this is?" She asked.

"I cannot even imagine." I said honestly. "I know this must be unpleasant, but can you tell me about the party? I've already gathered that you were drugged, but I'd like to confirm it." I told her.

"That… actually makes sense." Kate mumbled in realization. "Well, long story short, I went to a Vortex Club party, and don't remember much of it." She summed up.

"What do you remember?" I asked her. "What did you drink? Alcohol? Soft drink?"

"I swear to God, I only had one sip of red wine. That's it." She said strongly, desperately. "After that, just water." She added. I hummed in thought.

"Since ancient times, wine has been used to mask the presence of poisons, toxins, and drugs." I told her, prompting wide eyes. "Did any of the water taste funny?" I asked her. She shook her head. "Then I'd wager it was the wine." I frowned. "What else?" I asked.

"Well, I remember getting sick, and dizzy. The Nathan offered to drive me to the hospital." She recalled, swallowing a lump in her throat. Poor girl. I can't imagine how hard this must be for her.

"Prescott." I spat out with a light snarl.

"He was being nice for a change. I thought..." She didn't continue.

"The words 'Prescott' and 'nice' do not belong in the same sentence." I told her sternly. "Go on."

"I remember driving for a long time, and then waking up in what I thought was a hospital room, because it was so bright and white." She massaged her temples. "I heard a voice, I thought it was a Doctor's, but then I realised it was Nathan. Then, I felt a sharp sting on my neck." She shuddered.

"Oh God." I whispered, my hand on my head. This might be worse than I thought.

"Then, I woke up right outside my dorm room. I didn't have any marks or bruises, but I felt…" She paused, visibly uncomfortable. "Gross." She finally said. My eyes widened in horror. This was uncannily similar to the story Chloe told me at the lighthouse yesterday. From what she says, it's entirely possible that Nathan forced himself on her whilst she was out of it. No way am I telling her that though. Kate is rather naive, so maybe she hasn't made the connection in her head, and I'd rather keep it that way. She doesn't need that on top of what's going on with the video.

"So, where did the video come into play?" I asked.

"I don't know. Probably a little bit before Nathan drove me off to wherever." Kate said bitterly. "Victoria was there, being herself. She probably took it." She sniffled.

"I am so sorry you have to go through this Kate." I breathed out.

"How do I get a viral video down?" She asked me desperately. "You're good with computers! It's spreading wide, and what if my Church sees it?" She asked, her eyes filling with horror.

"If I got my hands on Victoria's laptop, I could feasibly shut down the site and remove the video from social medias, but…" I trailed off with a grimace. The hope that was appearing in Kate's eyes melted down immediately.

"But?" She whispered.

"The internet has the unfortunate feature of permanence. You take down a video or site or whatever, but it always leaves a digital fingerprint." I told her. "Someone good enough with technology could find it at some point." Kate slumped down, her hopelessness tangible. "That won't stop me from trying though." I promised her. She at least put on a small smile at that.

"Thank you Damon… You can put my book on my bed." She told me. I nodded and did just that. "Damon, can I ask you something?" She asked out of nowhere.

"You just did, but sure." She didn't laugh.

"I need to know if Nathan helped me or hurt me… Should I go to the police?" She asked, desperate for an answer that will make her feel better, if her eyes are anything to go by.

"That… is not an easy question Kate." I sucked in through my teeth, unsure. "From the context, I'd wager he hurt you. But, there's no way to prove it." I grunted in annoyance, not quite sure how to answer her exactly.

"So, you're saying I should do nothing?" She asked. Whatever slither of hope was left was fading fast.

"Kate, I won't lie, it's not looking good. The Prescotts are a prestigious family that will do anything to maintain their image." I said honestly. "If you do go with allegations against Nathan, it may very well do more harm than good." I told her grimly.

"But, I know I was drugged!" She protested.

"You do, _they _don't." I shook my head. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to make this seem hopeless; I'm just being honest." I told her.

"That doesn't help." She stifled a sob.

"I know, but the alternative is getting more hurt, and I don't want that."

"I don't know how that's possible. So that's your answer?"

"I just think we should wait until we have real proof. There's something out there that can help you, I know it."

"And in the meantime, I can prowl the halls with people calling me a viral slut. Thanks a lot Damon."

"Kate…"

"Just go. I want to be alone."

I sighed and conceded. If that's what she wants, fine then. I know I could rewind and say something else, but what's the point. I can't lie to her and set her up for even more pain; that won't help her at all. The Prescotts will not tolerate anyone allegating anything against them if they can disprove it, even if it is often true. They'd destroy Kate with lawyers, showings of the video, and any other form of 'discouragement' they can think of. They might even send someone to kill her.

Yeah, this is the best choice, even if it's not the one Kate wants to hear.

As I left Kate's room, I immediately got more texts from Chloe.

**Chloe: damon  
Chloe: food  
Chloe: two whales  
Chloe: c u there  
Damon: Don't break your fingers  
Damon: BREAKFAST (^_^)  
Chloe: NO EMOJI  
Damon: Trade: no emoji for proper spelling?  
Chloe: Knot hapinin bich  
Damon: ;P**

Shaking my head, I left the dorm, and went on towards the parking lot. As I walked however, I caught sight of Nathan and David having what looked like a friendly little chat. Yeah, those two talking cannot be good. I usually held some amount of respect for David, but if he's really in cahoots with the Prescotts, I'm going to have seriously reconsider my standing with him. That may or may not end up with David getting a rubber bullet in his eye. Regardless, I know one thing. This has to do with either Kate, or Rachel Amber.

* * *

Thankfully, neither Nathan nor Victoria vandalized my car after our recent confrontations. Either that was a line they weren't willing to cross, which I found unlikely, they wanted their revenge to be more personal, which is more likely, or they just don't know this car is mine. Either way, my car was untouched, a fact I was grateful for. Anywho, I peacefully drove my set of wheels towards the Two Whales Diner, a place I haven't eaten at since I was 14.

The drive was fairly quiet, with the exception of my extensive music list, and the gentle rolling of the tires one usually hears when driving. It only took me about 20 minutes to get there, but it was nice driving there. I parked in the small parking lot next to tit before making my way in. After five years, this place was still the same. Same interior design, same jukebox, same uniform, and same menu. I smiled as nostalgia hit me, walking over to a free seat as I received a text.

**Chloe: Running late. Grab a booth.  
Chloe: Mom will feed u  
Damon: She better. I haven't eaten since Starbucks.  
Damon: I'll be lucky if you arrive before noon.**

Shaking my head as Chloe didn't reply, I carried on over to a seat, stopping as someone called my name. "Damon! Dude!" It was Trevor, and Justin, clearly baked, taking up one of the booths. "You smash Victoria yet?" He asked with a wide grin.

"You think I'm touching that with a ten foot pole?" I asked, returning his grin as we fist bumped. I heard a gasp at the workstation; Joyce probably shocked to see me. "I don't know where it's been." I said as Justin and I high fived.

"Savage bro!" He chortled. Rolling my eyes at these skaters, I strolled over to the workstation seats and took the one on the far right.

"Well, as I live and breath, Damon Azrail." Joyce said as she approached. She was beautiful for a middle aged woman; long blond hair tied back into a ponytail, wearing the Two Whales uniform. How can she work in high heels? "All grown up." She said, looking me over.

"Hello Joyce." I smiled brightly at my godmother. "You look lovely as ever." I said as she placed a cup of coffee in front of me.

"Ever the charmer." She smiled, amused. "Good to see you again Kiddo. How was London?" She asked, leaning against the counter.

"It was… loud. I enjoyed seeing my homeland again but… this is home." I said with a smile, sipping the coffee. "Although, I must admit, I was surprised when I found out that the man my mother mentioned you'd married was David Madsen." I told her, raising an eyebrow. She sighed almost tiredly.

"I know he's not popular at Blackwell, but despite what you might think, he's a good man." She insisted. Clearly, she's had this conversation with Chloe before.

"Oh, I'm not denying that." I assured her. "Unlike most people, I can see behind people's eyes. If you think the toll the war took on David was bad, you should meet my grandfather." I told her, grimacing at the memories. "He once had a flashback so bad, he pointed a gun at _me_." I said, shocking her. "So yes, I know that David is a good man, and that he cares about the students at Blackwell." I reiterated. "He's good at his job, but the way he goes about it paints him as a bitter, untrusting, shallow bully." I said bluntly.

"Well, you got your mother's bluntness, that's for sure." Joyce deadpanned, refilling my coffee as I finished.

"If ain't broke." I shrugged. "You should have seen him freak out on Kate Marsh yesterday." I told her, shaking my head. "That girl is in a _really _bad spot right now. The last thing she needs is David getting in her face and interrogating her." I said.

"Look, Damon, I can see you care about this girl, but I don't get involved in his job." She told me, sighing. "I don't patrol Blackwell, and he doesn't cook at Two Whales, get it?" She asked.

"Fair enough." I conceded. "I know things have been hard for you and Chloe. I'm sorry for not staying in touch." I said, guilt coursing through me.

"Don't give me that." She borderline scolded me. "You did the right thing, moving on with your life. I did the same after William." She sighed sadly. "Chloe, on the other hand, chose to stay angry." She told me.

"Speaking of which…" I sighed, sipping my coffee. "I am so sorry about William. Since I was five, he was the closest thing I ever had to a father. I have so many great memories of him." I told her with emotion.

"Yes, that was William's gift to all of us; great memories." Joyce sighed longingly. Guess no matter what happens with David, she'll always love William. "And I remember how you and he got along. It was always wonderful to see, but… As a five year old you shouldn't have had to go through that." She told me sympathetically,placing one of her hands over mine. "To this day, I still can't believe Klare was with that… that…" She shook her head.

"He ran off with his whore fourteen years ago Joyce." I told her with a shrug. "I've long since gotten over it. As has Mum." I assured her.

"I know." She sighed. "I heard Klare got married. That true?" She asked. I nodded.

"Yeah. A woman named Genevieve." I affirmed. I was initially weary of Genevieve, though not to the extent Chloe is to David, but I warmed up to her eventually. Classic case of a kid not thinking the stranger is good enough for his parent. "I admit to having some aversion to her in the beginning, but I was better than Chloe." I told her.

"Yes, she hit all the phases." Joyce sighed. "Expulsion, runnin away, drugs, bad boys, tattoos, piercings, blue hair, etc." She gave me a look over. "Clearly, she ain't alone." She raised her eyebrow.

"I've never been expelled, never ran away, only drugs I ever take are my medication or the occasional medical blunt for my anxiety, I don't like boys, tattoos are sentimental, I only have an ear piercing, and my hair was more of an experiment than anything else." I listed off with my fingers.

"And the scars?" She asked, pointing to my arms, which were bare without my jacket.

"I was 16, and teenagers can be shallow and cruel." Was the only answer I gave her.

"Chloe used to cut too, before meeting that Rachel girl." Joyce said, her eyes sad.

"Just wanting to feel anything other than the hurt. I can understand." I said softly. Joyce gave me a sad look.

"This is not what Klare or I wanted for our kids." She whispered. The tone of her voice made her sound like she felt she had failed as a Mom. I was about to respond, but she stopped me. "Why don't we just get down to the nitty gritty. What do you want to eat?" She asked, her tone signifying that she did not want to continue the conversation. I can respect that.

"I have had wet dreams about your Belgian Waffles, with ice cream, and bacon on the side." I told her. She gave a laugh, shaking her head at my wording.

"Comin right up." She told me. "Now finish your coffee." She instructed. I chuckled as she got to work. I have no idea how she can work at a diner in high heels like that. Shaking my head, I texted Chloe one more time.

**Damon: Get here soon, or I'm putting my food on your tab.  
Chloe: im driving!  
Chloe: *jrivin  
Damon: X_X**

* * *

As I remember, it didn't take long for Joyce to bring me my food. The Two Whales Diner was always quick when it came to cooking. They had effective methods and tools. Copious amounts of waffle and pancake batter made every morning, soda machines at the ready, and several pairs of hands working in an efficiently designed kitchen. And that was just off the top of my head. All in all, the point is, Two Whales works fast with its food. They'd probably make a killing if they made a drive-thru.

"They can hear your stomach in the kitchen." Joyce said as she slid the plate over. "Here you go Kiddo." She said, smiling at me.

"I am drooling like a wolf." I said, rubbing my hands together as I ogled the meal in front of me. Just like I remember; five small, but thick, belgian waffles stacked on top of each other, dusted with icing sugar, a dollop of ice cream on top, and five slices of bacon beside them, extra crispy. "Thank you very much Joyce." I said, digging in without further adieu. It was all I could do to not moan in pleasure.

"Still can't believe you're a young man now." Joyce said with a sigh. "When I look at pictures of Chloe back in the day…" She trailed off with a sad shake of her head.

"If it's any consolation, I think she looks great with blue hair." I told her, swallowing a mouthful.

"Yes, Klare told me about you having a thing for bad girls." She told me, giving me a blank stare. I could only chuckle sheepishly. "Speak of the Devil…" She said, sparing a glance at the entrance. Chloe had just walked in, headed towards us.

"Mom and Damon, together again." She quipped as she approached.

"And Chloe, looking for a free meal." Joyce deadpanned, looking at her daughter. "You've put your entire damn college fund on your tab." She sighed.

"Don't worry about that, this is my treat." I told her, picking up my plate. "Mind if I take this to a booth?" I asked.

"Go right ahead, and don't think about leaving behind a single penny." She told me, almost scoldingly. "This is my treat for coming back to rescue my daughter." she said with finality. I know better than to argue with Joyce, so I simply nodded in acceptance.

"I don't anybody to rescue me." Chloe grumbled.

"Butterfly photo." I reminded with a sly grin, earning a huff.

"I'm just hopin Damon can be a good influence on your life now." Joyce said to her daughter as I scooped my jacket up off the I was sitting on.

"I'm a little old for lectures from you and Sergeant Pepper, don't you think?" Chloe asked her mother sassily.

"Call him David if you don't want lectures." Joyce shot back. "One damn slice of bacon or you today Missy." She said haughtily, walking off as Chloe and I sat opposite each other at a free booth.

"What is this shit on the jukebox?" Chloe asked the air out of nowhere, striding over to the device. I just kept eating. As the music changed, Chloe came back and sat opposite me again. "So, what is this weird ass thing you wanted to tell me?" She asked, leaning her elbows on the table, resting her head on her hands.

"Well… it first happened in the bathroom, before I set the alarm off." I told her. She focussed intently. "I saw what happened, panicked, and next thing I knew, I was back in my class, hearing the exact same lecture from my teacher, seeing the exact same events transpire." I said, munching on some bacon. "It was surreal." I shook my head.

"You're not making any fucking sense." Chloe said bluntly. Predictable.

"Here, instead of explaining, I'll show you." I told her. "Show me everything you have in your pockets." I instructed.

"What?"

"Just trust me."

"Alright then." She said, a little weirded out before emptying her pockets. "Here ya go." She said, placing it all in front of her. "Now what?" She asked.

"Give me a moment." I told her, looking over the objects. Let's see, 86 cents, a parking ticket for 10:34am, seven cigarettes, and her car keys, with a little robot panda key chain. Kinda looks like it belongs in Five Nights at Freddy's, but I digress. Looking up at Chloe, I smirked, and clenched my fist, rewinding.

"You're not making any fucking sense." Chloe said bluntly, again. Perfect.

"That's why I'm going to show you, instead of telling you." I told her, leaning forward. "In your pockets, you have your car keys, with a robot panda key chain, 86 cents, seven cigarettes, and a parking ticket, busted at 10:34am." I told her, leaning back with a smirk. This is going to be fun.

She looked at me weirdly. "Dafuq?" She asked.

"Take a look." I told her, shrugging as I continued my meal. Swallowing, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the four items that I had described perfectly. The look of shock on her face was delicious.

"Ok, I just got a chill up my spine." She told me, looking up at me with wide eyes.

"Take that crap off the table Chloe." Joyce scolded as she approached with another plate. True to her word, there was only one slice of bacon along with the omelette. Chloe complied. "How's the food Damon?" She asked.

"Joyce, you are a kitchen Goddess." I told her honestly.

"How are you single?" She asked with a shake of her head, walking off. Better not tell her that there are at least four girls in Blackwell that would like to get up in my business…

"What the fuck just happened?" Chloe hissed under her breath as soon as Joyce was out of earshot. I had to swallow another bite before answering. My food is almost done… Sigh…

"I rewound time." I told her, cutting up the last waffle. "I told you to empty your pockets, memorized everything, and then pressed the temporal rewind button. Went back about 30 seconds." I explained to her. "I discovered this in the bathroom yesterday." I added. Chloe was shocked. She wanted to deny this, I could tell, but how would you explain me knowing what was in her pockets?

"Ok, I need something else." She told me. "Something bigger, something way cooler so that I will believe you without any doubt." She told me, an excited gleam in her eyes.

"Give me 60 seconds of silence." I told her simply. She nodded eagerly, chowing down on her food. As we ate in silence, I took into account everything that happened over the next minute or so. First, the trucker at the front table dropped his mug, and Joyce got mad. Then the Police Officer hear got an alert and his partner left without him. After that, Justin and Trevor started fighting, unsurprising with how blazed they were, and Joyce broke it up. Finally, a cockroach crawled on the jukebox as it went crazy. That should do.

I rewound.

"Ok, I need something else." Chloe told me. "Something bigger, something way cooler so that I will believe you without any doubt." She told me, an excited gleam in her eyes.

Perfect.

"I will predict four events that will happen in the next minute or so." I told her with a smirk. She grinned eagerly and nodded. "First, the trucker will drop his mug and Joyce tears him a new one."

"OK, what next?"

"The cop gets an emergency alert, whines about leaving his breakfast, and his partner leaves without him."

"We'll see. Next?"

"Trevor and Justin start arguing like a married couple, and Joyce breaks it up with the classic 'I'm finishing it' line."

"This is getting good!"

"Finally, the jukebox goes haywire as a roach crawls on it, and Joyce remarks about how it's headed to Davy Jones' locker."

"Bizarro Damon, very bizarro. Let's just see." She told me, leaning back. By this point, we'd both finished our meals, sadly. Anyways, as we both sat still and waited, Joyce picked up a pot of coffee and left the workstation to go around for refills, just like last time. She went past us though, not sure way. Maybe she's still mad at Chloe. Anywho, as she walked past our booth, the trucker dropped his mug, just like last time.

"Crap!" He cursed.

"Another one? Seriously?" Joyce snapped at him. "No refill for you!" She scolded.

"Way to go Mom!" Chloe laughed as the cop's radio suddenly blared.

"Aw man!" He groaned. "Now I gotta take this call and leave my breakfast." He sighed in annoyance. "Hey, where's my partner?" He asked. As his did so, the police car outside blared it's siren and sped off, leaving the cop in here behind.

"You called it. Probably off to bust some skaters." Chloe grinned.

"You're a dick!" Justin yelled at Trevor.

"Don't slap me bitch!" Trevor suddenly yelled at back.

"Take you fight club outside!" Joyce snarled at the two.

"He started it!" Justin shot back, pointing at Trevor.

"I'm finishing it!" Joyce snapped.

"Trevor and Justin must be in love!" Chloe laughed.

"They are all over each other." I too laughed as the jukebox suddenly went haywire. As it did so, Chloe and I turned our attention it, seeing the cockroach crawling on it, like last time.

"I think our locker is headed for Davy Jones' locker." Joyce sighed as she walked back into the workstation.

"Davy Jones' locker." Chloe whispered, looking at me with wide eyes. "You have powers…" She whispered, placing her hand on her head. Immediately, she placed her hands on the table and bowed her head. "I pledge allegiance to Damon and the power for which she stands!" She said, sounding incredibly eager and impressed.

"My priestesses do not wear clothing." I held up my hand in decree, earning a round of laughter from Chloe. "Jokes aside though, I can't just play around with this though Chloe. I'm fucking with the space time continuum, not buying a new toy." I told her.

"Fuck that!" She waved me off. "It's definitely a toy! The best toy ever!" She grinned widely. "You can bang anyone you want with no strings attached, rewind time, and boom!" She slapped the table. "It's like it never happened!"

"Seriously?" I sighed. Not gonna lie though, that doesn't sound _too _bad.

"Maybe you made a move on me and I would never know!" She leaned forward, grinning.

"Right, sure, I did indeed, and we fell into bed for one glorious night of passion before I erased said night from existence." I drawled out sarcastically, earning a snicker from Chloe.

"Damon, you can rewind time. That's fucking insane! We have to play!" She said eagerly and excitedly, her eyes sparkling.

"I wish I could, but my time is limited." I told her.

"You did not just say that." Chloe deadpanned.

"Hey, this rewind only goes back a few minutes at most. With or without it, I do not have all the time in the world." I said firmly. Suddenly, a coppery taste filled my mouth, and I cringed at the taste.

"Whoa, your mouth." She said, looking at me with worry. "You ok?" She asked as I touched the corner of my lips. Blood was indeed leaking out of my mouth.

"See? This is what happens when we meet up again." I joked, wiping the blood away with a serviette.

"Then, let's go to one of my secret lairs. I wanna fully test this little power of yours." She grinned, standing up. Rolling my eyes, knowing I'll upset her if I refuse, which I don't want to do, I conceded and followed. "You need a sidekick to guide you." She added.

"Very well Girl Blunder, to the Time Cave." I said with a roll of my eyes. "My car or yours?" I asked.

"Yours." She answered immediately. "You've already been in mine. I just want to get something from my truck." She said. I nodded as we headed for the exit, only to get a phone call. "Don't even answer it." She told me. "We've got places to go, and people to do." She grinned.

"Chloe, it's Kate." I said.

"Big deal. You don't call me for five years, and now you're all over some beeatch you see every day?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. "I see how you roll, so go and ahead and chat up your little groupie. I've got other people to hang with too." She said, clearly upset, as Joyce approached.

"Chloe, this innocent, Christian, naive, sweet, vulnerable, young girl, just got drugged, filmed, and posted all over the internet." I said calmly, anger clear on my face, shocking both Chloe and Joyce. The anger and my words, that is. "I made the mistake of leaving you alone when you need me the most, a mistake I am not going to repeat with Kate." I told her. As soon as Chloe's face showed guilt, the call stopped. "Thank you Chloe, thank you very much." I snarked.

"What's going on?" Joyce asked, her eyes narrow.

"A small disagreement." I said dismissively. "I need to call someone quickly." I said, sending a glare in Chloe direction before walking off. Instantly, I dialed Kate's number. Thankfully, she picked up.

"_Damon?" _I heard her sad voice come from the other side of the line.

"Hi Kate." I said with a small, sad smile. She sounded like she'd been crying. "I'm sorry for not picking up. I was a little occupied, and the call ended _as _I was about to answer." A small fib, but a white lie here and there doesn't hurt anyone.

She sniffled. _"I almost thought you were to busy for me…" _She mumbled.

"I am _never _to busy for you when you need me Kate." I told her firmly. If I know her, she's smiling slightly with a soft pink dusting her cheeks. "Now, what do you need?" I asked of her.

* * *

**Wow. This chapter almost went past 8000 words. That doesn't happen often. Anywho, here we are, the first part of Out of Time. And no, this time, I will not be uploading an enter episode's worth of chapters this time. That was just to get this story started. From this point on, it's just one chapter after the next. **

**Please tell me what you guys think of the story. I can count the number of reviews I have thus far on one hand, and that really puts a dent on my will to write. The latest chapter of Holy Lightning Twins got more than thirty reviews, and I'm already half finished with it's next chapter. Let that sink in for a moment. Also, once this story is done, I'm moving on to a Percy Jackson story. Go see the poll on my profile.**

**Please review guys. Please? Your reviews sustain my will to write.**


	5. Out of Time - Part 2

After my phone call with Kate finished, Chloe and I left the Diner. She was still a little peeved at me for choosing to take five minutes out of my time to speak with Kate, but at least now she somewhat understood. I can understand why she's upset with me for not staying in contact, but I reiterate that she didn't contact me either. Anyway, after she received whatever it was that she was looking for from her truck, we both hopped into my car and I drove us off. Aside from directing where I should go, Chloe hardly spoke to me throughout the ride.

It was about a half hour long drive, with music blaring and emotions swelling, before we arrived at the destination Chloe had in mind; a junkyard called American Rust. Old cars, including a school bus, a boat, tires, barrels, cable drums, all manner of junk was laid to rest here. There was also a shack-like construct that I'd wager Chloe hung around in often, and what looked like a bonfire spot for parties.

"American Rust." Chloe told me as we got out of the car. "My home away from hell." She announced dryly, throwing her arms out as I locked my car.

"Are you still pissed about earlier?" I asked with an exasperated sigh. She didn't answer, just walked on in. "How much more are you going to get pissed at me this week then, eh?" I asked in annoyance, jogging to catch up to her.

"Dude, I'm upset with how you ripped me a new one, but I'm not pissed." She assured me. "Anymore…" She added in a grumble when she thought I couldn't hear. We stopped in around the center of the yard. "Welcome to my domain." She said with a dramatic bow.

"Rough and raw; apropos." I said dryly.

"Damon, do you know how awesome this is?" Chloe asked, walking up to me. "I get my best friend back, and he's supersized!" She said with a wide grin.

"Well, I'm only about as tall as you, so I don't know about supersized." I deadpanned, earning a small laugh. "Not to mention, we don't know how long this little gift of mine will last." I said, frowning at my right hand.

"Exactly why it's time to have fun." She said, taking a swig of the beer she'd brought with her. Grinning, she whipped out the gun she stole from David.

"Listen, David may be douche-canoe, but stealing his gun may not have been the wisest move." I told her. From the way she's holding it, it's obvious she doesn't know how to use it. "It seems everyone is armed in Arcadia these days." I noted.

"Only those who shouldn't be." Chloe responded, striking a pose with the gun. "Like Step-dildo. Until now that is." She added, grinning.

"Let the revolution begin." I remarked blankly.

"You are the revolution D." She told me, swigging her beer again. "Which is why we should figure out how to best use and abuse your power with a test." She said eagerly.

"You really think I didn't experiment?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. I actually did.

There was the question as to whether or not I keep what I'm holding when I rewind, which I do, but that was predictable. Whatever I'm holding doesn't return to where it was before I picked it up and rewound, like the food I was eating in the diner. I've also confirmed that injuries I've sustained will not heal when I rewind, so I have to be careful there. If I take something out of my drawer and place it on my desk, it will appear back in the drawer after I rewind. Finally, if I toss or throw something out of the window and then rewind, it will return to me, not unlike a Jedi retrieving his/her lightsaber.

"Experiment huh?" Chloe asked with a suggestive eyebrow raised.

"Oh hardy-har-har." I rolled my eyes. "Just tell me what you want." I told her with an impatient sigh. She laughed at me.

"I just want to see what my oh-so-awesome-and-handsome-superhero friend can do." She said with a pleading smile.

"Flattered though I may be..." I started, following up by placing a hand on top of my head. "Flattened I will not, in order for you to get the laugh." I told her. She laughed and sipped her beer again. I'm glad I didn't let her drive…

"Drink?" She offered, holding the bottle out.

"Ugh." I belched. "That American stuff awful." I cringed as she drank more. "I prefer whiskey. Irish or Scotch." I told her.

"Strong stuff eh?" She asked with an appreciative smile. I rolled my eyes. "You're loss. Can you find five bottles while I prep the shooting range?" She asked, grinning.

"Sure." I rolled my eyes again. Of course she'll take the easy job while I have to run around this entire yard to find bottles. Classic Chloe. Heh, alliteration. "One question, why didn't you bring that gun with you when you went to confront Nathan?" I asked of her with a raised eyebrow.

"I forgot it in the truck." She shrugged. I gave her a blank stare. "What?" She asked defensively.

"You were going to blackmail Nathan fucking Prescott, a guy who drugged you, and you forgot your only defense in your truck." I sighed in exasperation, facepalming. "It's a wonder you haven't been killed already." I shook my head.

"Well I…" She trailed off, not know what to say. She was utterly stumped. "Just find the bottles Smartass." She grumbled, making me chuckle in amusement.

"Alright Blue's Clues." I grinned, seeing her glare at me for the nickname. Fun fact; when we were children, Chloe LOVED Blue's Clues. "Oh, FYI, beer and guns is never a good combo." I said as I walked.

"What can I say? I'm hella fuckin insane in the brain."

No arguments here.

Whilst Chloe did her job, I got to work on mine. I found the first bottle quick enough; it was resting on the hood of an old crashed car. I wonder of Chloe thinks of William when she sees these cars? The next bottle was stacked on top of an old refrigerator, which was balanced on top of a large wooden box. I had to rewind to prevent the bottle from smashing when it fell over. The next one I found at the bonfire place I mentioned earlier.

The fourth bottle was a little trickier to get to. I had to use a large plank to get onto the old fishing boat that was there. There was a small table with several beer cans and an ashtray on it, so I'd wager Chloe and Rachel hung here often enough. There was also a bottle there, so that made four. One more to go. I took in the sight around me from the boat for a little longer before hopping down.

The last bottle I found inside that shack/shed that I mentioned, and I was right about Chloe and Rachel hanging out in there. There was graffiti, posters, pizza boxes, beer bottles and cans, and a crap load of other stuff. Some of it even hurt to find. Chloe and Rachel had made each other friendship bracelets, something Chloe and I never did when we were children. Admittedly, it's more of a girl's thing, but I digress. There was a small collection of photo-booth pictures of the two of them. I sadly realised how easily that could have been me with Chloe in the pictures. I even found a mix tape CD that Chloe apparently made for Rachel, full of her favourite songs I'd wager.

I even found a true-blue, honest to God, make-up kit. I cannot see Chloe playing with makeup. Then again, she never did so with me mainly because I'm a boy. Is it at all possible that Rachel was closer to Chloe than I was, simply because she was a girl? All those years I thought it didn't matter. Chloe and I were attached at the hip the moment we met in day care, and grew up seeing each other almost every day. We used to bathe together. Hell, we were showering together even after puberty started. To us, the difference in gender was just a minor, insignificant detail. At least, it was to me. Maybe Chloe thought otherwise.

Shaking my head, I decided to leave this little shed before my thoughts get any darker. I'd rather avoid another emo phase, so I exited the small construct. As I was about to head back to Chloe, something caught my eye that made me freeze.

A wolf.

Not just any wolf mind you, this was the exact same coal black wolf from my vision.

I decided Chloe could wait for a moment. I wanted to see what this wolf was up to. As it looked at me with those same intelligent, crimson eyes from the vision, it walked off, calmly and slowly, as if beckoning me to follow. My eyes might have been playing tricks on me, but I could have sworn the wolf was transparent there briefly, not unlike a ghost. The photographer in me shouted to take a photo, and I had to agree. What does Jefferson always say? _Always take the shot. _Wise words to live by for a photographer. So, I quickly brought out my camera and snapped a photo. As soon as it printed, however, I was incredibly confused.

The snap seemed to have sent the wolf sprinting off, so I could still see it, but for some reason, the camera couldn't. The wolf didn't appear on the photograph, like a vampire looking in the mirror. That is strange. Really hella strange. Fuck! Curse you Chloe! Shaking my head, I pocketed the camera and strode off back towards my blue haired friend. I can think about that wolf later. Right now, I want to hang with Chloe.

As I headed back towards her, I suddenly got a text from Warren.

**Warren: She said yes!  
Warren: I'm going to the drive-in with Brooke!  
Damon: Good. You live another day without laxatives.  
Warren: Thank fuck.  
Damon: That may change depending on how much of a pussy you are on the date.  
Warren: What?  
Warren: Please don't…  
Damon: Perhaps if you actually kiss her…  
Warren: You can't be serious!  
Warren: Damon?  
Warren: Answer me please!  
Warren: D…  
Warren: I'm scared…**

I grinned widely. Warren is a great friend and an awesome guy to hang with, but he's also ridiculously fun to mess with. He doesn't even realise I don't even have laxatives to slip into his food. Honestly, it's all in good fun, he knows this, but it's also to push him and Brooke together. Brooke's stubborn enough to keep her eyes on me until either I'm with someone, or someone else comes onto her. If Warren doesn't do something, she's going to keep waiting for me to make a move, or for an opportunity to make a move herself. That won't be good for anyone, hence why I'm urging(Read: blackmailing/threatening) Warren into asking her out.

Let's just hope it works for them.

* * *

"Here you go." I said, handing Chloe the bottles. She grinned at me, having finished her 'shooting range,' which was really just an elevated plank that we placed the bottles on in a horizontal line.

"And one more for the road." She said, finishing off the beer she held, for a total of six bottles on the plank. They all had around equal space between them. "We're gonna shoot all of these bottles without wasting a single bullet." she told me, holding up the gun.

"You're holding it wrong." I told her, gaining her attention. "This isn't a 44 Magnum Chloe, it's a low-caliber M-10. You don't need to clutch it so tightly." I said, taking the gun from her and demonstrating. I held the gun out with one hand, my free hand resting around it, to keep the leverage at a maximum. "First of all, don't lean back like you were." I told her. "Do not keep your trigger finger around the trigger or trigger guard, and make sure the very middle of your finger's top digit pulls on the trigger." I said, relaxing my stance. "Also, keep your hand high on the backstrap." I told her, gesturing to the backstrap on the handle. "It's there for a reason, so put your shooting hand as high up on the backstrap as possible." I told her, handing the gun back. She looked at me, surprised.

"How do you know all this?" She asked.

"My grandfather taught me." I shrugged. "Now, are we shooting, or talking?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Shooting." She gave a light laugh, aiming the gun at the first bottle, adjusting her stance as I had instructed her. Very good. "Tell where to aim." She said.

"I need to see you shoot before I rewind." I told her. Nodding slightly, she shot.

And that's how our tiny little gun adventure started. As she shot, and missed, I would rewind and tell her how to adjust her aim. First bottle, she missed it by about a centimeter to the left, so I rewound and told her to adjust her aim a minute amount to the right. As she destroyed the bottle, she let out a whoop of excitement. Despite the fact that I didn't really like her idea of fun here, I must admit that I enjoyed seeing her so happy and excited. As we moved on to the second bottle, she aimed a little too high, so as you might guess, rewound and told her to aim a little lower.

Things got interesting after that.

Chloe wanted to up the ante a little bit, so we started going for different targets, with me rewinding if it was too tame or something bad happened. Chloe actually shot herself by accident, the bullet having ricocheted off of the bumper of an old junker we shot. I quickly rewound, trying not to have a panic attack at the sight of her bleed from her chest. Again. Anyway, she tried shooting a computer monitor next, no interesting results, so I rewound there. Same with a wooden plank.

We finally wrapped things up as I told her to shoot the wheel of the very same junker from before.

"Adios spinning wheel of death!" Chloe said dramatically, shooting the wheel. The bullet set the junker off balance, and it slid down, destroying the remaining bottles, before doing a full forward flip and landing right in front of us. "Ubercool!" Chloe grinned as we high fived and fist bumped. "I cannot believe this is for reals!" She whooped. "My best friend is a superhero!" As she said that, I suddenly felt a familiar headache. "Ok, now it's your turn to bust a cap." She told me, holding the gun out for me to take. I would have obliged, if I hadn't been suddenly struck by a random dizzy spell. "D?" She asked, suddenly worried. "Your mouth." She said. I did indeed taste blood on my tongue again, like before at the Diner.

"Chloe… I don't feel so hot…" I mumbled, my vision blurring. I barely heard Chloe calling out my name as everything went black.

XXX

_I see it… The tornado. That fucking tornado that haunts my dreams._

_Why? Why is it coming here? To Arcadia Bay?_

_Why am I being burdened with this horrible premonition?_

_Is it real?_

_Is it fake?_

_Are the people of my town, my home, going to be killed?_

_How am I supposed to fucking handle this?_

_Do I have to save the town?_

_How can I do that?_

_How do I save my home?_

_How do I save the people I care about?_

_Kate…_

_Warren…_

_Brooke…_

_Dana…_

_Juliet…_

_Joyce..._

_**Chloe…**_

_Can I save them?_

_Do I deserve _anything _if I can't?_

_XXX_

"Damon?" Chloe's voice spoke as my eyes slowly fluttered open. I was laying down on my back, on the hood of a car, with my head in Chloe's lap as she sat up on said car hood. "You're awake. You had me worried there." She said as I sat up, groaning with a hand on my head. "You feeling any better?" She asked of me.

"I think so." I groaned, the headache still pounding in my head. "Just a moment." I told her.

"To much action for Arcadia?" She asked in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Perhaps, or perhaps not enough." I returned with a wry smile. "Regardless of how stupid this is, it is rather fun being here with you again." I told her sincerely.

"Same here." She gave a small smile, laying back on the car hood. "Let me know when you feel up and at em again." She said, grabbing the gun and pointing it up towards the sky. I wondered what was going through her head at the time. Nonetheless, I saw an awesome photo op. So, I got a good angle on her, and took a photo, one showing Chloe on laying on the car hood, pointing the gun towards the sky, with the sun shining down on her side. It was a good shot.

"Well, well, if it isn't Bonnie and Clyde." A new voice spoke. I quickly turned to face the newcomer. He was an older guy, short dirty blond hair, and a visible tattoo on his neck. He gave the impression of a sketchy, lying, loser, bordering on the creepy. Clearly, he knows Chloe.

"What do you want Frank?" Chloe spat in disdain.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your bonding time." 'Frank' gave a mock polite smile alongside the sarcastic apology. "Playing with guns, just like me your age." He said with a smirk.

"We are nothing alike." Chloe hissed.

"We weren't playing, I was teaching her how to use a gun." I said, crossing my arms. He turned his attention to me.

"So, hangin with pommies now, eh Chloe?" He asked in a drawl. "And to correct you, we do have something in common; we both need money." He crossed his arms, glaring. "In fact, you need it so bad, you owe me a shit load." He continue.

"This is the guy you owe?" I asked, giving Chloe a 'Really?' look. Who in their right mind borrows money from a guy like this? Don't answer, rhetorical.

"That's right, and she better cough up soon." He said, pointing at her. Suddenly, Chloe noticed something, and her face turned to one of anger.

"Where did you get that bracelet?" She demanded, a hard glare on her face.

"A friend, and it's none of your goddamned business." Frank glared back. "You're my business. And now you're-"

"That's Rachel's bracelet!" Chloe exclaimed in anger. "Why the fuck do you have it?" She all but yelled.

"It was a gift, calm down." Frank growled. Pot, kettle, have you met?

"You fucking stole that shit, give it back!" Chloe screamed, reaching for the bracelet. Frank stopped her as he pulled out his switchblade.

"You better step back right now." He growled. "Do you want me to cut you, bitch?" He threatened. I acted on instinct.

"Gah! Son of a bitch!" Frank yelled as a loud bang resounded through the air. He clutched his hand as pain struck it, dropping his blade. Chloe quickly grabbed it as they both turned to face me. They saw me aiming my Desert Eagle at Frank.

"Think about your next move very carefully Frank." I said darkly, my eyes narrow. "This thing is loaded with rubber bullets, but they can still be lethal if shot right, so don't test me." I hissed through my teeth. If looks could kill, I'd be dead a thousand times over by now. "Do yourself a favor, and walk away." I told him. He gave Chloe and I one more hard glare before sauntering off.

"I'll remember this." He growled at me before he did so.

"Good, then you'll remember to run for the hills next time you see me, Junkie." I spat in disgust. His kind of people really rub me the wrong way. He didn't give a response, other than walking off, clutching his bruised hand. Rubber bullets are non-lethal, for the most part, but they do some serious damage. He might have to check in a hospital to fix that.

"Damon…" Chloe's voice caught my attention. She was beaming brightly at me. "That, was, AWESOME!" She exclaimed with a wide grin, hugging me tightly, and quickly. "I could just kiss you right now!" She said excitedly.

"You won't hear me complaining." I smirked, making her laugh.

"Is that a Desert Eagle?" She asked, eying my gun. I nodded and brought it up, turning the safety back on. "Why didn't you tell me you had a gun?" She asked, still smiling widely.

"You didn't ask." I shrugged as I holstered the firearm, earning an eye roll.

"You were awesome." She said, hugging me slightly again. "Thanks for sticking up for me." She said sincerely.

"Always." I smiled as we separated.

"Now let's blow." Chloe sighed, glaring in the direction Frank left. "My secret lair doesn't feel so secret." She grumbled. I agreed. "At least I got a slick new knife out of it." She grinned, holding up Frank's knife.

"Silver lining." I shook my head as we walked off.

"Hey, at least he won't fuck with us anymore," She shrugged. "He just wants his money."

* * *

Chloe and I left the junkyard and decided to walk along to the train tracks. Like, literally along the train tracks, balancing on the metal. I wasn't too worried about falling, given how thick the tracks were, nor was I worried about being hit by a train. It's easy to tell when a train is coming, and we can get out easy enough. "I cannot believe you shot Frank," she told me with a grin.

"I shot his hand with a rubber bullet." I said with a shake of my head. "Not a huge deal." I reiterated.

"I think it was epic. Besides, you can just rewind time in your hand and jam that barrel right up his ass!" She laughed.

"You're disgusting." I sighed. "And don't fall." I said, quickly grasping her hand as she about to fall. We both used each other to assist in balancing.

"I'm just glad you were there." She said as we separated.

"As am I." I agreed. "Now, care to explain why you hang around wankers like that?" I asked with an eyebrow up.

"Here, let's break and I'll talk." she decided. Fair enough. We stopped and lay down across the train tracks, facing opposite directions, but still being able to face each other. "Feels like a different world, huh?" She asked, sighing wistfully. "I wish we could stay forever." She looked up at the sky.

"Build a new pirate fort and put 'keep out' signs all over it." I chuckled. Chloe and I used to play pirates so much when we were kids. I miss those days so much.

"A new secret hangout where Frank can't find us does sound nice." Chloe chuckled tool, before looking at me with concern. "You ok? You did just shoot someone."

"I'm fine, but I'm not certain how I feel about that wanker having me on his shit list." I told her.

"Don't worry about him." She waved me off. "He's not as hardcore as he seems. He only cares about his cash, stash, and mutt." She assured.

"I just shot him Chloe." I reminded her. "That's not something a guy like that just lets go." I sighed.

"I get it D, I really do, but crazy shit like this is the new normal for me." She said, trying not to sound like she wished otherwise. "It's why Rachel and I planned on leaving without paying him off." She explained.

"Smart." I said sarcastically. "So, what exactly is happening between you and Mr… whatever his name is?" I asked with a light scoff.

"Bowers. He's just a dealer, where I get my weed." She answered.

"I honestly don't know how you stand that stuff." I said with a cringe of disgust. "It smells awful, it tastes worse, the smoke is horrible in your lungs, unless you use a vaporizer, and the high lasts too long." I shook my head.

"So you've used before." She smirked at me.

"Duh." I returned. I may have fibbed to Joyce when I said medical stuff was all I did in England, but that doesn't mean I took to it like Chloe did. Not that I have an issue with that stuff. Recent studies show it's actually safer than alcohol in almost every possible way.

"Anyway, Frank and I kind hung out." Chloe told me.

"Ew." I cringed in disgust. "One of your 'bad boys' that Joyce mentioned?" I asked with a gag.

"No! We didn't have sex, gross!" Chloe said loudly, horrified by the prospect. "He never even tried. I just made the mistake of borrowing money from him so Rachel and I could bail on this town." She told me. Well that was a relief.

"So that leaves the question as to how Frank got his hands on Rachel's bracelet." I thought out loud, wondering about that.

"Yeah, I want to know that too." Chloe said darkly.

"I think all we can do right now is keep our eye out for that twat, and hope he doesn't eyeball us." I sighed in resignation.

"True dat." Chloe sighed as well. "It's so weird talking to you about all this insane crap." She told me, nostalgia in her tone. "We haven't hung out this much since we were tweens, and it's like no time has past." She said wistfully, looking at the sky.

"A testament to how close we were, and till are." We shared a smile. "I remember how we used to bathe together." I chuckled.

"Even after I got my first training bra." She too chuckled.

"We would change in front of each other with no issue."

"I had no problem showering while you brushed your teeth."

"We shared clothing…"

"Toothbrushes…"

"Food."

"Toys."

"Secrets."

"Problems."

"The works." I sighed longingly. I honestly wish I hadn't gone to England.

"I wish Rachel was here to meet you." Chloe said sadly. "You two would have gotten along so well. She had-" She shook her head. "Has a great eye for art and images and art. And she was a smartass like you." We grinned at each other. "We would have been the hella best trio in the world." She said longingly.

"I'm certain I'll meet her soon enough." I shrugged. Best to be optimistic in a situation with a missing person case like this.

"Railroad tracks." Chloe chuckled, knocking on the track she laid her head on. "I don't know why, but they always make me feel better." She told me, smiling.

"Ask Kerouac." I joked, earning a small smile.

"Ever the poet." She remarked.

"I'd rather be a photographer, or some other kind of artist." I returned, sitting up, looking down at her face.

"You are." She reminded me, making me shrug. Narrowing my eyes at her, I stood up, walked a small distance away and pulled out my camera. Aiming it at Chloe, I took another photo of her, showing her looking peaceful and serene. I smiled as the picture appeared in the paper that emerged from the camera.

Suddenly, pain erupted through my head as flashes of the tornado soared through my mind again, just like earlier at the junkyard, and yesterday at the lighthouse. Why is this happening? And why does it hurt so fucking much?! I was able to force myself out of the vision as I heard Chloe calling for me.

"Damon!" She yelled out, catching my attention. She was trying to pull her foot out of the tracks, apparently to no avail. "Damon, I'm stuck!" She yelled at me in panic. The very same panic coursed through my blood as I heard a train's whistle in the distance.

"Fuck!" I cursed loudly, running over to Chloe's side. I tried to pry her foot out, but all that succeeded in doing is hurting her more.

"Damon!" She screamed as the train came into view. I quickly rewound, sending the train back quite a bit. From Chloe's point of view, I probably just appeared out of nowhere.

"Wah?" She asked in confusion, looking at me with wide eyes. At that moment, the train whistle resounded, just like it did before. "Oh fuck!" She paled, trying to pull her leg out.

"Crap!" I cursed, not wanting to hurt her again. It wouldn't help. I desperately looked around for something that could help, and then it caught my eye; the train lever. "I'll be right back." I told my stuck friend, sprinting towards the lever. I tried to pull the lever, but it was jammed. Probably a security thing or something to prevent it from being pulled, as it's never used anymore. Regardless, I moved to the other side if the lever did the only thing I could do; I kicked it. Hard.

"Damon hurry!" Chloe screamed as the train got closer and closer. Putting all the strength into I could, I kicked the lever two more times before it snapped in half. That said, it did alter the tracks slightly, but not enough for Chloe to get out by herself. So I rushed over to her. "Get me out of here!" She screeched in terror as the train came closer. I was just barely able to pull her away from the tracks before the train hit her. I fell to the ground, with Chloe on top of me. I couldn't enjoy it as much as I would have, given the adrenaline still coursing through me.

"Fuck." Chloe groaned as we got up. "Damn that was close." She sighed as the train passed us. We were both panting heavily. "You saved me a again. We're so bonded for life now." She hugged me briefly, groaning.

"You ok?" I asked in concern.

"I got splinters in my ass and my legs, so I wish there was a smoother way to save me." She said with another groan.

"I could rewind if you want." I remarked dryly.

"No, no, that's alright." She said quickly, making me smirk. Rolling her eyes, she tried to walk, but tripped over something. Thankfully, I caught her. "Gah, I think I twisted my ankle." She hissed in slight pain.

"Is it gonna be alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, just a twist." She said, bringing her arm around my shoulder. "I'll be good after a little while." She said. Smiling, I swept her off her feet and carried her bridal style, earning a cute yelp from her.

"That was cute." She grinned at her, earning a heated glare.

"I'm not a fucking princess." She grumbled, though that didn't stop her from wrapping her arms around my neck for support. I smiled and walked back towards the junkyard, where my car was parked. "Aren't you glad I took you to a quiet, desolate spot?" Chloe asked dryly. I smiled in amusement.

"Indeed." I chuckled. "It was great hanging out in your secret lair." I added as an afterthought. "Unfortunately, my first class starts soon. Our fun will have to end here for the day." I told her, making her pout.

"Well, I suppose the mysterious hero needs a faithful companion." She decided.

"Whatever this ability is, I'm not certain it'll last forever." I warned her.

"Well I know we will." She said, resting her head on my chest as my car came into view. "Forever." She added softly, warming my heart.

* * *

**And another one bites the dust. As you all may have noticed, Holy Lightning Twins and this story are my primary focuses. Once this story is finished, and by every deity in every mythology, I promise that I will finish this one, I'll try to focus on some of my other stories as well. To many ideas spoil the brain. And the will to write. Seriously, I have a 'Son of Sirzechs and Grayfia' fic for DxD in my head right now. And a PJO WotC fic upcoming…**

**MY HEAD'S GONNA EXPLODE.**

**Now, something that recently came into my head: **

**Why did Max get a vision of the tornado BEFORE she saved Chloe for the first time? Seriously, she got the vision before she saved Chloe or found she could rewind time. That doesn't make sense; and I'll tell you why; saving Chloe is the cause of the storm(apparently.) If that's the case, why'd she get the vision BEFORE altering the future?**

**The future was fine until Max saved Chloe, so it doesn't make sense that Max would get that vision before she actually saved Chloe.**

**Tell me what ya'll think about the matter! Seriously though, your reviews sustain my will to write. If I don't get reviews, I can't find myself wanting to write.**

**Review!**


	6. Out of Time - Part 3

"Thanks for the ride." Chloe said as we stopped outside the Two Whales Diner, where we'd left her truck after hopping into my car before heading for the junkyard.

"No problemo." I responded, seeing it start to get rainy outside. Just a little though.

"Sorry to be so boring…" She told me wryly.

"Nothing exciting ever happens, does it?" I asked sarcastically, earning a small laugh.

"Listen, about your rewind." She said, catching my interest. "I'm convinced it's connected to the snow yesterday, and your tornado vision." She told me.

"That makes sense." I agreed, frowning slightly.

"You saved my life twice now, altering the course of my destiny, yours, and who knows who else." She said, looking at me intensely. "You know Chaos Theory?" She asked.

"A tiny change in initial conditions can cause catastrophic and cataclysmic differences in an equation." I told her. She nodded.

"Simply put; crazy shit happens because it can." She told me. Makes sense.

"The Butterfly Effect has a hand in there too." I noted.

"A butterfly flaps its wings in Brazil, causing a hurricane in Texas." Chloe recited in agreement.

"Question is, why me?" I asked in confusion. "I'm just a random goth-nerd in a random town." I said.

"Strange Attractors?" Chloe suggested with a shrug. "Rewind power, snow, tornado vision, put them together, and hello Armageddon." She grinned at me widely. "So we party with your power Rock Star!" she cheered. Talk about a shift in moods.

"Well, I suppose every hero needs a sidekick." I paraphrased her earlier words as her face softened a little bit.

"How can it be such a shitty week, and the best of my life at the same time?" She asked.

"I know the feeling." I replied, leaning on the steering wheel. "At least we're back together." I said as we fived and fist bumped. Smiling at me, she got out of my car and closed the passenger door. "Meet up tomorrow?" I asked of her as she leaning in through the window.

"Definitely." She responded with a grin. Nodding, I ignited my engine once more as Chloe stepped away. It really was as if no time had passed. We never bade each other farewell in the past, because we always knew we were going to see each other again, and that's what happened just now as I drove off.

Things may not be exactly the same with Chloe and I anymore, but maybe they won't be so different either.

* * *

My drive back to Blackwell was relatively quiet. Traffic wasn't bad, so I arrived before my class with Mr Jefferson started, thank fuck for that. Nathan wasn't anywhere to be seen, and neither was Victoria, so the small window of time I had before Jefferson's class was pleasantly quiet. I passed by Principal Wells without a word, something I don't think he was happy about. He still suspects something went on yesterday, I think. The fact that something _did _happen is besides the point though.

I had a small chat with Warren and Brooke, grinning at the boy whenever Brooke wouldn't see, making sure he knew I was waiting for him to screw up. That way, he would be extra careful to not screw up. He's definitely the kinda guy Brooke can fall for, I know her that well. It's up to Warren to make her see that. I also had a small talk with a couple of other students. Surprisingly enough, not all Vortex Club members are downright twats like Nathan or Victoria.

Anyway, it was just about time for me to get to my class. I was headed in that direction, when all of a sudden, I passed by someone I didn't notice.

"Damon, a word?" David's voice called out to me as he approached.

"I do have a class in a few moments, so please make it quick." I told him. He nodded.

"I wanted to talk about what happened yesterday." he told me.

"You mean blatantly accusing my best friend of stealing a gun, or your harassing Kate?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Kate Marsh is another matter entirely." He told me, eye twitching in irritation. I suppressed a smirk. "I'm talking about what happened in Chloe's room." he said. "Did Chloe take my gun? Please tell the truth." Huh, he asked instead of ordering, how about that.

"If she did, she never mentioned it." I told him. Not a lie. Chloe didn't tell me about the gun, she _showed _me.

"Chloe…" David sighed. "Do you think she took it?" He asked of me. Why he values my opinion, I have no idea.

"Doubtful. She's a little wild, but she's not stupid." I told him. What, you expect me to tell him Chloe wanted to defend herself, so she stole a gun? Not happening. But… "Even if she did, I'd be glad she has something to defend herself with, given the kinds of people that run around this town." I told him.

"Using a gun isn't as simple as pointing and pulling the trigger, Soldier." he told me with a frown.

"I'm well aware. My grandfather, who is also a veteran, taught me how to use a gun." I told him.

"Joyce did mention that Klare's father was in the Nigerian Civil War." He remembered. I nodded.

"One of many reasons why I respect and sympathize with you." I crossed my arms, seeing his eyes widen slightly. "I've always had respect for soldiers, and I know you're good at your job, which I why I stay out of your way. However, when you start harassing my friends, that's when I get confrontational." I frowned at him.

"You don't have all the facts Soldier." he frowned back.

"I have more than you." I returned. "Like the fact that Kate drank single sip of red wine at the party, and nothing else. Or the fact that she remembers a sharp sting in her neck." his eyes widened. "Or the fact that she was half-conscious in a bright white room that was most certainly not a hospital room." I added. "What does that tell you, Soldier?" I asked him. He didn't answer. "Exactly. Kate is a victim here, not a suspect, and the sooner you see that, the sooner you'll get the bottom of whatever mystery your trying to solve." I gave him a two fingered salute. "As you were." I said, walking off.

David didn't respond as I continued on my way to Jefferson's class. It was hardly a long walk there. Just a few paces, and there I was. Thing is, however, just outside of the classroom, stood Mr Jefferson, and Kate. Whatever conversation they were having, Kate clearly didn't like the way it was going. She burst into tears and stormed off, right passed me, her face buried in her hands.I tried to talk to her, but before I even got a word out, she cried out to not come near her.

"Something you said?" I asked of Jefferson as I approached him.

"Apparently." He sighed. "You Ok? You look worried."

"I am." I frowned at him. "For Kate." I told him.

"That's no secret." He said. "Word on the street is that you had a small confrontation with our security chief yesterday." he told me.

"Yeah, I tore him a new one, because he was harassing Kate." I informed. "That's the last thing she needs, let alone deserves, right now." I said sadly.

"I assume you know of the video?" He asked.

"I do." I nodded. "She's being humiliated and ridiculed. I want to help her."

"Noble as that is, she may have brought this on herself." Jefferson said, making me look at him incredulously. "She means well, but maybe she doth protest too much." He told me.

"Shakespeare, really?" I deadpanned.

"It just seems that she's hiding the truth is all." He shrugged. "Have you talked to her?" He asked me.

"This morning." I affirmed. "She needed support."

"That's good of you." He told me. "Now, about the Every Day Heroes contest?" he asked.

"I'm not handing anything in, but…" I trailed off, reaching into my bag and pulling out three photos. The one I initially took, the one with the blue butterfly, and the one with Chloe on the railroad tracks. "What are your opinions of these?" I asked, handing them over.

"I'm telling you which one to hand in Damon." He raised an eyebrow, but took the photos nonetheless.

"Your professional opinion could still be invaluable." I responded as he looked them over. He stopped on the first one, and froze, his eyes wide. "Uh, Mr Jefferson?" I asked worriedly.

"I like this one." He told me, his voice a little tight. He was referring to the initial picture, where I look half-conscious, laying on a checkerboard of my own photos.

"I'm not certain what was going through my head when I took this." I told him, taking the photos back.

"It reminds me of some of my own work." He told me, a look in his eye that was, honestly, not what I'd come to expect from Mr Jefferson of all people. It was kind of creepy.

"Alright then…" I trailed off, placing the photos in my back pocket.

"Sorry." he said, snapping out of it. "Nostalgia." he justified, though I honestly didn't believe him. He was about to talk again, but his phone rang. "Sorry, I gotta take this." He told me, answering the phone. Shrugging, I went into the class. I'll have to find out what that was about later though.

* * *

"_You've got to be kidding me." _I thought to myself with a sigh. Nathan and Victoria were both sitting on my assigned desk. Not at the chairs, no, on the desk itself, more than likely in the hopes of getting a rise out of me.

"Well, well, if it isn't Doom and Gloom Damon, in his pommy biker disguise." Nathan mocked with a condescending smile.

"Goody, my daily dose of bully-swag." I said dryly. "What have you got for me this time?" I asked of them.

"Damon thinks he's so smart." Victoria sneered. "Doesn't know when he's out of his league, just like all the twee artists here in Blackwell." She mocked.

"You done now?" I asked. "Cause I have better things to do than deal with you two." I told them.

"Meow. Cat fight. I love it when chicks fight." Nathan jeered.

"Really? Gay jokes? You're losing your edge." I told him boredly. He was not happy. "And as for you…" I turned to Victoria. "Am I really out of my league?" I asked of her. "You were the one who was beet red at the sight of my abs." I reminded her, smirking as some people 'oooh'ed. "And speaking of cats, Nathan." I smirked in the boy's direction. "Did Victoria mention that she was purring like a lioness when I started popping my pecs." I grinned as Victoria's face went red in embarrassment and rage. "Taylor enjoyed the sight too, didn't see?" I asked, turning my attention to the blonde, who was red as apple, shifting in her seat. I think she might have gotten a little wet, if the way she was adjusting her hips was any indication.

"Shut. Up." Victoria and Nathan hissed in unison.

"Don't dish it out if you can't take it." I shrugged.

"Do you have any idea who you're antagonizing?" Nathan spat out at me.

"A couple of arrogant, self-righteous, holier-than-thou, rich children?" I asked boredly.

"Children?" Victoria snapped indignantly.

"Well, I am older than all of you." I smirked at her. The look on her face suggested she wanted to yell out in rage, as did Nathan, but at that very moment, Jefferson walked in.

"Alright, I know you all love me, but those who are not suppose to be here, please leave." he said to everyone, eliciting some laughter. "Those of you who are my students, please take your seats." He continued.

"You heard the man, move your fat asses." I said to the two who were currently sitting on my desk. Flushing in rage, they got off of my desk.

"Do not think this is over." Victoria hissed at me.

"I wouldn't dream of it." I smirked at her. Glaring, she fell down into her seat. The scowl that decorated her face was prominent, despite amounting to more of a pout that anything else. As I sat down, I saw Kate, outside, through the window, still bawling her eyes out, as she ran towards the dorm, not caring about, or not noticing, the heavy rain. _"Poor Kate." _I thought to myself, sadness running through me. It quickly bubbled into anger as I saw David stalking her again, taking pictures. _"If he doesn't stop stalking her, I am going to make him wish he was back in the sandbox." _I growled mentally. Did our conversation just now not get anything through his skull?!

"Alright, we have a lot to cover." Jefferson said as we all quieted down. "And we have so little time to do so, as per usual." he sighed. "I see all the usual suspects, except Kate Marsh." He said as his eyes landed on Kate's empty seat.

"I think everyone has seen her by ow." Victoria spoke up with a evil smirk. Bitch.

"She's not well." I said through gritted teeth. "As I'm sure you're aware." I told my teacher.

"I see." Jefferson said, turning his attention to Victoria and Taylor, who were still giggling like dumb school girls. "Sounds like you're giggling over a viral video. I wonder how you would feel if there were false images of you going around the internet for people to judge." He said, shutting them up. "Usually people need something to judge so they never take a good look at themselves. We can thank reality TV for some of that." He rolled his eyes. "In the end, we can only blame ourselves for participating... Speaking of participation, there are a few souls here who have yet to enter a photo in the contest. Like Damon Azrail, for example." He gave me a pointed look, with that same, weird, somewhat disturbing gleam in his eyes, again. "Who I know can't wait to enter, right? I'm sure you read the syllabus like it was a Harry Potter book, so you must know today we're studying chiaroscuro; that beautiful word about the contrast between light and dark, the shadowplay that gives photography such...visual power. It's basic yin and yang. Black and white images are effective precisely because of their contrast. Although we don't technically 'see' in monochrome-"

"Yo!" Zachary, the guy who was sexting with Victoria, burst into the room. "Some crazy shit's happening at the dorm!" He said loudly.

"Zachary, you do not just get to-" I didn't listen as Jefferson started lecturing the boy, I was too busy thinking a horrible thought. Zach said something was happening at the dorm. The only one who should be at the dorm right now is Kate. If she's in trouble…

I didn't listen to anything else that was said.

I bolted right out of the room.

* * *

"Holy shit!"

"Is this real?"

"Bitch flipped out!"

"I didn't know she was this messed up."

"Kate!" I cried out, my eyes wide as I saw my friend jump off of the dorm rooftop. "No!" I cried out, rewinding as far back as I could. The crowd grew large again, after I did so, and I saw Kate standing at the very edge. Rage and fear struck me as I saw the blonde standing next to me; Victoria. With a loud cry of rage, I allowed my fist to fly, landing right on her face. I think I heard a crack. "This is all your fault!" I roared at her, my face set in an inhuman snarl. Victoria, despite the pain her face showed, she was visibly scared. Her minions, Taylor and Courtney, dared not move.

Again, I called on my rewind to stop Kate from jumping. This happened several times. Another limitation of my ability that I forgot to mention; I can't move whilst rewinding. I can turn my head, or twist my torso, but I can't leave the spot I'm standing at. I can't just rewind, walk, rinse and repeat. I'll pass out before getting to Kate. So, I called on my ability, focused every time-travelling gene in my body, or wherever the power comes from, and let loose. I let out a loud yell as the power coursed through me.

And then, nothing.

Nothing moved.

No one moved.

"Holy fuck…" I breathed out. Time was frozen. I stopped time. I fucking froze time. Wait, if that's true, shouldn't I be utterly blind? Light is made of photons, and the photons move through the air and into our eyes, giving us the ability to see. If times stops, so do the photons, and then they can't get into my eyes. Or maybe light moves so fast that it's unaffected by time? I don't know how that would work, but it sounds plausible at least. Or maybe I've just slowed down time to the point that it looks like it's frozen. Wait…

Why am I thinking about this? I have to save Kate!

With my thoughts back in order, I high tailed it into the dorm and towards the roof. At least, as well as I could. It seems that this freezing/slowing down time trick is taking a lot of strain on me. I can barely put one foot in front of the other. And I'm tasting copper again as I pace through the frozen rain.

* * *

It took some effort, but I was finally able to get to the rooftop. There Kate was, standing at the edge, frozen in her position, ready to jump off of the roof. Having finally gotten up here, I released my hold on the flow of time. I had to gasp as I felt the relief wash over me. It felt good to finally let go, though I don't think I can rewind right now... As I was about to call out to Kate, I felt my mouth fill up with blood. Cringing at the taste, I spat it out to the ground, catching Kate's attention.

"Damon?" She asked as she turned around, still standing on the ledge.

"Kate…" I breath out, taking a step forward. Her eyes widened in terror as I did so.

"No, stay away!" She screamed at me, making me halt. "I'll jump! I will!" She cried out. I believed her, for more than one reason.

"Alright, alright." I held up my arms to seem less threatening. "Kate, please don't do this." I pleaded with her.

"Oh Damon, I know you want to help me…" She sniffled. "I love that you stepped up to David, but it doesn't matter anymore, nothing matters." She sounded like all hope had left her.

"You matter Kate, to me, to your family." I told her desperately.

"I want to believe that…" Kate whispered.

"Your life is yours and yours alone Kate. Just let me help you, like I did by erasing all that crap on your slate and replacing it." I told her.

"That was you?" She asked, surprised.

"Psalm 16:8 and Joshua 1:9." I recalled.

"I'm glad to hear you worry about me… It makes me feel better." She managed through her sobs.

"Of course I worry; I care about you." I assured her. She didn't object when I took a step forward.

"I did feel better talking to you on the phone, I always feel like you really listen." She said, wiping her tears away.

"I want to help you Kate." I said, my voice soft.

"Do you?" Her attitude took a full 180. "What about this morning, you told me to do nothing!" She cried out angrily.

"I believe you Kate, I really do! But it's way too dangerous for either of us to get involved now!" I tried to reason with her.

"I told you the whole truth! But it doesn't matter any more." She took a step back. No!

"I know I fucked up Kate, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I told her, my own eyes welling up with tears. "But that doesn't mean you have to end it." I said.

"Damon, I'm in a nightmare, and I can't wake up!" She cried. "Unless I put myself to sleep. Then everyone can post pictures of my body. I'm already on the internet forever." she chuckled humorlessly. "No wonder it's called a 'web.' Nothing ever comes out, like my video." Damn, that's morbid, even for me.

"Kate, you have to be stronger than this!" I urged her. "Nathan, Victoria, Taylor, and Courtney, they don't matter! You do!" I told her. "You can get through this!"

"Can I? I don't believe in miracles anymore." She sounded so lost and alone. Like she'd given up all hope. The light in her eyes was gone. "Nobody cares about me…"

"I do!" I cried.

"Do you?" She spat, angrier than I've ever seen her. The anger quickly turned to sadness and longing. "You don't… You're not… You don't see me as…" She trailed off, her eyes giving a thousand more words than her mouth.

"Oh God Kate…" I muttered as I realized what she was talking about. "I hoped this wouldn't come up." I whispered.

"You… knew?" She asked in shock.

"Yes Kate, I knew. I know." I confessed. Her expression turned even more hopeless. I see what needs to be done now. Drastic times call for drastic measures.

Words aren't getting through to her…

"Fine then." I spat, surprising her. "This is why I never interact with religious people; they're ridiculous, stubborn, and over-zealously self-righteous." I shook my head, ignoring the way she looked like a knife had been driven into her heart. "But that doesn't mean I'll just let you jump either." I told her, reaching behind me. She gasped as I pulled out my gun.

"Why do you have a gun?" She asked, paler than she was before.

"I only take it with me when I leave the Academy, and I usually load it with rubber bullets." I told her, ignoring her question. "But, I always bullets with me." I told her, letting the magazine drop to the ground. She gasped again as I pulled another magazine, this one with live ammunition, and clipped it in, pulling the slide back. "You can jump Kate, I won't stop you." I told her, my voice void of emotion or compassion. It unsettled her. "But if you do…" I brought up the gun and held it to my temple, eliciting another gasp. "I'll die right here with you." I said darkly. "You'll have my murder on your hands." She flinched.

"Damon... You…" She started hyperventilating slightly.

"And that's not all." I told her, still no emotion or expression on my face. Only cold, dark, monotone. "If you die, your family will be devastated. Your mother, you mentioned she was upset with you, but if she loves you half as much as your father does, a man who supports you regardless, then she'll come around." I reasoned. That seemed to poke a hole in her thoughts Good. I have her undivided attention with the gun in play. "Your sisters. You told me the youngest one, Lynn, has the most beautiful smile ever. Do you think that smile will still exist after you die?" I asked. "At 10 years old, she's naive enough to think her big sister is dead because of her." Kate's eyes widened in horror at the prospect. Thing is, Kate's actually naive enough to believe this shit. If I shoot myself right here and now, it's not her fault, even if I am emotionally blackmailing her. As much as I hate it, I'm incredibly relieved she has the naivete for me to take advantage of, if only to save her life.

"No…" She whispered.

"Yes." I shot back. "And it doesn't end there. If I die, my mother will mourn the loss of her only son, after my father walked out on us to be with his teenage whore." Kate's eyes widened at this. I'd never told anyone that; not even Chloe. "My little sister, who smiles just as bright as Lynn, I assure you that, will be in the same boat as her. My oldest friend, with whom I've been attached at the hip with since day care, will lose her closest friend." Kate was trembling. I can only hope that was a good sign. "If you can be that selfish, I can be this spiteful." I told her. "So what will it be Kate? Are you going to be the cause of all that suffering? Or will you save a life today? As well as our sisters' hearts? And that of our parents?" I asked.

"You wouldn't…" She gulped, probably not believing her own words. Silence struck. All that either of us cared to perceive was each other. We didn't register the rain hitting our bodies, the cold wind on our skin, or the sound of thunder. Only the other. And our words.

"Try me." I said simply, but the way it came out was so cold and uncaring, it even startled me. Kate was visibly unsettled.

Moment of truth.

The silence held for a small eternity before Kate spoke again.

"Curse you Damon, curse you…" She whispered under her breath, though something told me she wasn't all that serious. Especially when she hopped off of the ledge and back down onto the rooftop, falling to her knees, sobbing. Sighing in heavy relief, I turned the safety of my gun back on and holstered it, quickly grabbing the dropped magazine and pocketing it. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Kate sobbed into my shoulder as I knelt beside her, embracing her.

"Shhh… I'm here Kate, always." I told her soothingly, softly rubbing her back. "I'm here. Maybe not in the way that you want me to be, but I will always be here." I whispered, hugging her tightly. "I promise." Kate said nothing. She just continued sobbing into my shoulder. Smiling softly, a warmth spreading through me, despite the weather, I stood up, picking Kate up bridal style, like I did with Chloe earlier today. Kate actually let out a cute squeak as I did so, something I don't plan on letting her forget.

* * *

Turns out, and ambulance was ready for Kate when we got down. I can smell the rumors regarding me carrying Kate like a princess already. Anywho, after dropping Kate off at the ambulance so that she could be taken to the hospital and put under suicide watch, I was called to the principal's office, alongside Nathan, Mr Jefferson, and David. No doubt this relates to what just happened with Kate.

As Nathan and I sat on the chairs in front of Principal Wells' desk, Jefferson stood at the door, to my left, and David stood at the other side of the room, to my right. Principal Wells was standing at the window behind his desk chair, looking out over the sunset.

"I know today has been difficult for everyone, but I'm very proud of the way all of Blackwell pulled together to save a young girl's life." Wells said as he turned around.

I snorted incredulously. "All of Blackwell? Pulled together?" I repeated. "I saved Kate, Principal Wells, _alone._" I told him, emphasizing the word 'alone.'

"Damon, like I said, today has been difficult, and that is the only reason I'm tolerating your attitude right now." Wells warned me,

"Be that as it may, Principal Wells, he's not wrong." Jefferson spoke up.

"He is quite the hero for convincing Kate to come down." Wells agreed, sort of.

"Thank you." I nodded at him.

"A hero indeed." Jefferson smiled at me.

"Yeah, hero." David mumbled. I'm not quite sure whether it was sarcastic or sincere. Maybe he didn't even know. Nathan hadn't spoken at all.

"As Principal of Blackwell Academy, I take my duties seriously." Wells said, turning and facing out the window again. "I take the well being of every student here even more seriously." He turned around again. "What happened today should never have happened in a haven for higher learning like Blackwell." he said… seriously. Heh… "Mr Madsen, as Head of Security, it was your responsibility to ensure the rooftop doors were closed and locked at all times." He said to David. "That is standard procedure, and yet, they were unlocked."

"Yes sir." David said with a bow of his head, clearly somewhat ashamed.

"Mr Jefferson, I know you can't be expected to know everything that goes on with your students, but Miss Marsh has assisted you several times before. You should have known something was off." Well reprimanded the photography teacher. He did know something was off you ass, and he made it worse! Seriously, my respect for Mr Jefferson has gone down drastically, as has my trust in him. "Mr Prescott, Kate attended the last Vortex Party, and since you are responsible for those, you will have to answer a few questions as well." Nathan's only answer was a single nod. "Now, Mr Azrail, why exactly were you on the roof with Ms Marsh?" Wells asked as he sat down on his desk chair. "Did she tell you of her plans? Tell me everything." He instructed. Yeah, everything, sure.

"I don't know what to tell you that you don't already know, Sir." I said with a shrug. "Kate was in an awful place, I'm sure you know why, and she was being humiliated and ridiculed for it. People were calling her a viral slut as she walked through the halls." I told him.

"And where does Ms Chase fall into this?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. Crap. "I've been told that you gave her quite a nasty blow to the face." he narrowed his eyes.

"If this is going to turn into a feminist battle, I'd like to leave." I said bluntly. "Any woman who demands being treated as equal to men should be prepared for getting hit if she deserves it, as I'm sure she's given a good whack to one or two of her, ahem, gentleman callers." I said with a subtle smirk.

"Gender politics and Ms Chase's love and/or sex life are not involved here Damon." he scowled at me. "Can you answer me as to why you decided to strike her?" He asked, almost impatiently.

"She was the one who recorded and uploaded the video." I said with a shrug. "Frankly, she should be glad that's all she got." I said darkly.

"Do you have proof of such claims?" Wells asked, clearly not pleased with my words.

"It doesn't matter." I waved him off.

"So you're not able to prove your claim?"

"I'm stating what I believe to be true, not reporting an offence or filing a complaint. Make of that what you will."

"Very well then." Wells narrowed his eyes at me. "Moving on, Ms Marsh decided that today would be the day she would stop taking all the pain she was feeling. Have you any clue why?" He asked.

"Several factors." I told him vaguely.

"Are you feeling any deja-vu right now Mr Azrail?" he asked me, narrowing his eyes. "Vague answers regarding the incident in the bathroom yesterday? Sound familiar."

"Very."

"Care to tell me why?"

"Simply put, I don't trust you, or anyone in the room, for that matter." I said nonchalantly, surprising everyone on the room.

"Ahem, Damon, would you care to elaborate?" Jefferson asked of me, his eyebrow raised.

"Well, I'd like to remind you of the conversation you had with Kate right before the incident." I said to him. "Whatever you said had her bursting into tears and storming off towards the dorm. I'd wager that was the proverbial straw on the camel's back." I shrugged.

"Mark?" Wells asked, sending a look in Jefferson's direction.

"I… yes, Damon could be right." Jefferson admitted.

"He's not alone. I believe Mr Madsen had good intentions, but that didn't stop him from borderline bullying Kate, even if that's not how he sees it." I continued.

"You don't know what you're talking about Boy." David growled at me.

Ignoring him, I continued. "Nonetheless, that's why my trust in Mr Jefferson and Mr Madsen are basically zero." I told Principal Wells. "As far as Nathan goes, I would have to be an idiot to trust someone with the name Prescott." I went on.

"Excuse me?" Nathan growled. I ignored him.

"And as for you." I narrowed my eyes at Wells. "It's a well known fact that Sean Prescott has most authority figures in the Arcadia Bay in his back pocket. I doubt he'd send his son to a school where he couldn't control the authorities." I said simply.

"That a very generalized opinion, Mr Azrail." Wells told me, his eyes narrow.

"It's slander." Nathan spat.

"It's my belief." I waved him off dismissively, angering him further. "I have the right to believe what I wish. Nobody can arrest me for thinking what I think." I shrugged.

"I suppose that's true." Wells conceded. Nathan was not happy, especially when I smirked at him. "Nothing else?" Wells asked.

"Well, since I'm stating opinions here, I may as well tell you that Kate believes, and I agree with her, that Nathan was the one that dosed her at the last Vortex Party." I said, making Nathan stiffen. Ah ha! "She told me that she felt dizzy, remembered driving for a long time, and then woke up in a bright, white room. She thought it was a hospital because of how white it was, but she remembers hearing Nathan's voice. She woke up outside her dorm room, and here we are." I told him. The only reason I'm saying this is because I want to get under Nathan's skin, get him to reveal something.

"That is total bullshit! I took her to the ER, but she said she was OK, so I brought her back to Blackwell!" Nathan exclaimed. "You think I dosed her?! She got wasted and macked up with seven guys!"

"I don't believe you." I said simply.

"I will sue you, I already have a personal lawyer!" He threatened.

"My Mother married the best lawyer in London. Come at me, I dare you, like you did in the bathroom with your gun." I growled at him.

"A gun, Damon?" Wells asked, shocked. "Is that what happened in the bathroom?"

"Oops, that just slipped right out." I said, face-palming.

"Be glad it did." Wells shot back at me, clearly getting impatient. "In light of what Mr Azrail has said, and the fact that Nathan appears prominently in the video, I have no choice but to suspend you Nathan." he told the spoilt rich kid.

"Yeah, whatever, see you in court." Nathan huffed angrily. Sure.

"As for you Mr Azrail, I cannot ignore the fact that you kept important information from me, and you assaulted one of your fellow students. I will have to suspend you as well, and contact your parents." Wells told me.

"Fair enough." I shrugged.

"Principal Wells, don't you think Damon and Nathan need a break before we grill them any more?" Jefferson asked. "A fellow student and friend just tried to kill herself, that's heavy." He added.

"Yeah, I'm kinda devastated right now." Nathan said nonchalantly. "I'd like to be with my family."

"Tell it to your face." I mumbled under my breath. He shot me a glare.

"Alright Mr Azrail, please sign this form to confirm everything you've said is true." Wells said, handing me a form and a pen. It listed everything I said, excluding the times I had simple 'expressed my opinions' hehe. Since it was not an official accusation or statement, Wells can't use it in this document, and thus, I cannot be accused of Slander. Am I a genius, or am I a genius?

"Very well then." I said with a small smirk, one that Wells did not miss. "If there's nothing else?" I asked politely, making Wells scowl.

"We will be helping the Police with an further inquiries." he said, standing up. "I know this has been a stressful day for all of us. If I could change it all, I would. Thank you for coming in." He said to everyone present.

Oh the irony~

* * *

I immediately went to my dorm room after the talk with Wells. Aside from my suspension, I shouldn't get anymore trouble, mainly because of the way I played my cards. And despite the facade I put up there, I was still shaken up by what had happened, so I simply put on some soft music, lay on my bed, and vaped. I couldn't take my mind off of what happened with Kate. I wanted to get to the bottom of this, to find out what happened at that party.

For some reason, I believe this is all connected to Rachel Amber's disappearance. I also think Nathan had some kind of connection as I lay pondering the thought, the light of the nearly setting sun suddenly dimmed. It was weird though, not in the sense that a cloud would cover up the light. Frowning, I put my vape down and walked over to my window, glancing towards the sun. I froze as I saw it.

Almost half of the sun was covered by the moon; a half solar eclipse.

"What the fuck?" I whispered under my breath. First the snow last night, at around exactly this time I might add, and now this? There was no solar eclipse scheduled, I would know, as would Warren and Brooke. Even if I didn't know, one of them would have told.

A memory suddenly struck me, something Chloe mentioned.

"Chaos Theory…" I whispered.

* * *

**And that does it! Another chapter bites the dust! I really had fun with this chapter, I must say. It's always fun messing with pompous pricks like Nathan and Victoria.**

**Speaking of which, how did you guys like how I tore into Nathan and Victoria here today? Both in the classroom, and the principal's office. I've always loved writing scenes where one character tears into another, especially someone like Nathan. One of the reasons I look forward to writing the Riser chapter in Fire and Blood, but I digress.**

**Another thing I'm really proud of is the way Damon handled Kate. It really shows his character off in my opinion. Someone who can go from kind and gentle to dark and gloomy to cold and harsh at the drop of a hat, not because he's Bipolar or a Schizo, but because that's just who he is. He's not afraid to brutally rip into someone when they're at their weakest if he believes it's what they need. And though some might consider it bad, the emotional blackmail he put Kate through just now was exactly what she needed to save her life.**

**Now, something that I asked about last chapter, but nobody responded.**

**Why did Max, in Canon, get the tornado vision BEFORE she saved Chloe and broke time? When she first got the vision, time was fine. There were no issues. Then she saved Chloe, and broke time. Why is it that she got the vision before that? Vision-save-break. That's the order of events. logically speaking, it should be save-break-vision. The tornado vision should have come AFTER she saved Chloe and broke time, so why didn't it?**

**Another thing, why does the Storm still hit in Episode 5? Jefferson killed Chloe. That should have set the timeline back into place, it should have fixed it. Time apparently wanted Chloe dead, so it tried to make sure she died. Jefferson killed her at the end of Episode 4, the night before the storm hit. She was dead, so why did the storm still come? It's way too simple, in my opinion, that Chloe HAD to die in the bathroom. If that was the case, she wouldn't have almost died so many times before Jefferson killed her; way too much of a coincidence. I think there's more to it, though I could be wrong. **

**Tell me what you guys think! Please? **

**Your reviews sustain my will to write! **

***Dramatic sigh followed by a faint***

**Ok, one last thing; I'm considering re-writing this fic, and scrapping the whole time-travel thing as a whole. Changing Damon's history with Chloe, making it that they find Rachel without the rewind, and maybe replace Damon with a girl. Girls suit Chloe better. Maybe even make it that Max still exists, but she only comes along after the whole Rachel incident finishes. It might make it easier to write, and thus easier to finish.**


	7. Chaos Theory - Part 1

It was well past midnight, and I was still wide awake in my dorm, sitting at my desk, working on the laptop I'd stolen from Victoria's dorm room. Since she would be spending the night in the infirmary due to her injury, which I'd happily given her with no regrets, it was easy for me to sneak in a grab her laptop. I'd intended on taking down the site with Kate's video, along with deleting any of Victoria's social media accounts that she posted the video on, but I decided against. Instead, using my computer expertise, I thought up a rather devious and sneaky way of punishing the bitch, along with anyone else who tries to watch the video.

I smirked and leaned back in my desk chair when I was done, taking a puff of my vape. I was proud of my work, though my mind was still on the eclipse earlier, as well as Kate herself. I was worried about her. With how I'd convinced her to step down, I feared her deciding that, since I wasn't around to emotionally blackmail her anymore, she could try again. It's not overly likely, given how distraught she was as she came down, and happy she was when I held her, but I was still afraid. People are awful. If you can make someone as sweet and innocent as Kate cry and take those kinds of measures to escape, then you're just sick and evil, like Victoria.

As I was stuck in my dark and sadistic thoughts, I suddenly heard my phone ring. It was my mother, Klare Azrail. Since London is eight hours ahead of Oregon, I'd say it's around mid morning right now for her, Jennifer, and Genevieve.

"Hello?" I greeted as I picked the device up.

"Damon, it's Mummy, are you alright?" She asked me hurriedly and worriedly.

"Quite, is there an issue?" I asked, raising my eyebrow. Not that she could see.

"Is there an issue, is there an issue?!" She repeated, distraught. "Pet, I just read an email saying that you were suspended for withholding information from the Principal and assaulting one of your classmates, and that you saved another classmate from jumping off a building!" She exclaimed. "Of course there's an issue!"

"Mum, my friend is fine, and I'm being punished for offences." I told her calmingly. "I'm fine." I promised her.

"Thank God." She let out a sigh. "Is your friend going to be alright?" She asked. "Long term, I mean."

"I can only hope so." I told her, frowning. "She was in a pretty bad place. Last weekend, at a party, she was dosed and ended up snogging about seven different guys." I heard her gasp. "Someone filmed the whole thing and posted it all over the net." I growled. "The girl I punched was that 'someone.' I was angry."

"Damon, that's awful. No one deserves that, but you shouldn't have raised your hand to that girl." Mum said scoldingly. "I taught you better than that."

"Yes, you did. But, as a Psychologist, you should know that one's emotions can dictate their actions if they're strong enough." I returned. "And believe me, I was angry enough to shoot someone."

"I really shouldn't have allowed Dad to buy you that gun." She sighed in exasperation. Yeah, she doesn't know I have live ammo available…

"How are Jen and Gen?" I asked, changing the subject. I couldn't help smirking at the alliteration.

"Well, Jenny is probably telling everyone in her school that her big brother is a hero. She misses you." I was told. I couldn't help but smile. I'm not being an egocentric ass when I say this, but Jen idolises me. I can so see her telling everyone at school that I'm a hero. I do wonder if I deserve it though, given my methods. "As for Genevieve, she just put away a serial rapist." My nose crinkled in disgust. "The bastard tried to use the girl's underwear, which he stole when he was 'done' if you know what I mean, as evidence to show she was asking for it." She spat.

Something about my Mum; she hates rapists. Mainly because she was born of rape before my deceased grandmother married Grandad.

"At least he's where he got some punishment." I said darkly.

I wouldn't have put him away, if I'm being honest. I would have called for the Death Penalty, but we don't do that in the UK. Haven't for almost 50 years. See, I'm of the opinion that some people out there just need to die. Forget about them getting off too easy, forget about the immorality of deciding whether someone lives or dies, forget about all that shit. A rapist like my biological grandfather should be put down like a rabid animal, not sitting a prison, getting three square meals a day and a roof over his head like he is now.

"Damon, we talked about this." Mum told me warningly.

"Yes, yes, I know." I sighed. "Tell Genevieve I'm glad for her." I said.

"Will do." I could hear Mum's smile. "Joyce called; she says you and Chloe are reconnecting." She suddenly said.

"Yes, actually." I said, cheering up a little at the change in topic. "You'll never believe it; we actually met up when she hit me with her-" I stopped as my phone bleeped again. "One moment Mum, I have another call." I said.

"Alright then." Mum said as I switched callers.

"Hello?" I greeted.

"Damon Doom!" Chloe said cheerfully.

"Speak of the Devil, and she shall appear." I said with a chuckle. "What can I do for you?" I asked.

"I got something for ya." She said with a grin in her voice. "I'm in front of the campus, meet me here." She told me.

"Chloe, I'm in the middle of a conversation with my Mother, can it wait 20 minutes?" I asked of her tiredly.

"Sure, sure, just get dat ass in gear SOON." She told me.

"Yes, yes." I sighed as she hung up, allowing me to switch back to Mum. "That was Chloe just now. She wanted to check up on me and ask me to meet her later." Not a total lie.

"That's nice. I heard about her new bad girl persona; please don't make Joyce go what I went through." Mum said with a slight whine.

"Mum!" I exclaimed indignantly.

"I had to see my precious baby boy doing the deed with a skank five years older than him! Don't make Joyce go through the same thing!" She cried.

"Hanging up!" I cried out. As I did so though, I swear I could hear Mum laughing at the end of the line. She's one of those Mums, seriously. I sighed as I slumped into my chair. Suppose I should go see Chloe now. As I got up, I heard a small whine. I turned my attention to the rabbit cage in my room, the one containing Alice, the little white bunny with black ears that Kate usually has in her room. I took it upon myself to bring Alice's cage to my room, where I could take care of her whilst Kate was in hospital. "Hungry bunny?" I asked, passing the cute thing some food. She immediately started munching on it. "There you go." I grinned widely at the sight. I love cute things like this. "Now, best get going before Chloe blows up my phone." I said to myself as I stood up.

* * *

I had to sneak past a tipsy Principal Wells as I snuck out of the dorm, the drunk. He was mumbling about some crap under his breath, I honestly didn't care to listen. As he mumbled to himself, I hit the rewind button, making him go back to a position where he couldn't see me, and quickly shot past him. He did catch me, but all I had to do was rewind again, and I could continue on. I soon arrived at the campus entrance, by the 'Welcome to Blackwell' sign.

"Booyah!" A voice suddenly cried out, scaring the sht out of me as the owner of said voice jumped out of nowhere.

"Chloe!" I snapped as the head of blue hair, covered by a black beanie, made itself clear. My oldest friend was laughing before me.

"Get it?" She asked with a grin. "Boo-yah? Like a scary, punk-ass ghost?" She snickered.

"Try punk-asshole." I growled in response, shocking her with my hostility. "Someone I care about just tried to jump off a building Chloe. The last thing I need is a stupid prank or joke to wind me further, alright?" I hissed.

"Damon, I-" She started, but I cut her off.

"Several times now you've bitched and whine about me not being here for you, but if this is how you're here for me, we're going to have issues!" I spat, my breathing heavy as I finished.

"Oh, God Damon, I'm sorry." Chloe said, looking down. Her expression made me feel like I'd just killed a puppy.

"No, I…" I trailed off with a sigh. "I think I just held my emotions in for a little too long. You didn't deserve that, I'm sorry." I shook my head.

"No worries, but you absolutely, balls-to-the-walls, saved your friend, D!" She smiled at me, a little strained.

"I emotionally blackmailed her by aiming my gun at my own head." I told her, shocking her. "I couldn't even use the Rewind. My head felt like it was in a vice, and I had no idea what to say, so I took drastic measures." I sighed.

"Well, it obviously worked. And your badass power is gonna save us all!" She said, trying to cheer me up. "We just need to connect all the players."

"And find out who dragged Kate so deep into the dark." I agreed with a frown. I truly believe Nathan was the one who dosed Kate, but something tells me there's more to it. Someone else is involved. "I want to prevent anyone else from suffering as she has."

"And save the town from the giant tornado of death, right?" Chloe asked wryly.

"I can only hope." I sighed. "Snow and eclipse are not good signs." I said with a frown.

"Nothing in Arcadia Bay is a good sign." Chloe said with a roll of her eyes. "Notice how it seems to be the ground zero?" She asked.

"I know, I just feel… reluctant, about one or two of my decisions." I confessed. "I got both Nathan, and my own dumbass suspended." I sighed.

"Don't torture yourself, ok Bro?" She said soothingly. "Let's just focus on finding clues." She suggested.

"Good idea." I nodded. "We can start with the company both Kate and rachel seemed to keep, which oh so coincidentally happen to align quite a bit." I said with a frown.

"You mean like step-prick and Nathan?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nail on the head." I said as we started walking towards the school building. "Seems that Rachel is guiding us to the truth, despite the fact that I never met her." I noted.

"Fuck the truth, I just want to find my friend." Chloe said darkly. I couldn't help but think that Chloe and Rachel were a little more that friends… "It scares me to think about where she might be… Do you think she's…?" She let the question hang for a moment.

"Dead?" I asked, making Chloe flinch. "Hate to say that the thought did cross my mind." I told her honestly.

"Not as much as I hate thinking it." She sighed sadly. "We have to find her Damon…" She whispered as we stopped for a moment.

"And we will." I assured her. "But we need those clues first." I told her, to which she nodded in response. "Now, what was it you wanted to show me?" I asked. She suddenly perked up and smiled deviously.

"Drum roll please…" She said, holding up a set of keys. "I present to you, the spare keys to Blackwell! Courtesy of step-prick." She smiled brightly.

"Chloe, you are a star." I grinned widely.

"Thank you, thank you, hold your applause, thank you." She responded, bowing like a celebrity. I laughed as we continued on.

"Chloe and Damon, partners in crime." I said happily.

"And partners in time." She added, grinning.

"Groaner alert." I said dryly. We laughed together again, but stopped as we heard a voice, an all too familiar one.

"Thank you again, SO much, for helping me put together a portfolio." Victoria said as she and Mr Jefferson. She didn't look as bad as I'd hoped she would. She had a nose splint on her nose, as I had broken it, and her eye was quite swollen, but she didn't seem to be in pain. At least, not a whole awful lot.

Damn.

"It's not an issue Victoria. Is your eye alright?" Jefferson asked politely as Chloe and I rushed to hide behind the bushes.

"It hurts, but I'll be OK." Victoria gave a strained smile, one so overly fake, anyone would cringe. "I still can't believe Damon freaked out on me like that." She added.

"Damon cares about Kate a great deal, and he seems to be under the impression that you were the one who posted the viral video of her." Jefferson told her. "I'm just glad that all this had a… moderately, happy ending." He said.

"I don't know what I would have done if Katie would have jumped…" Victoria said in sadness. Oh, that bitch.

"Katie?" Jefferson raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know you two were that close." He said.

"Well… how does this affect the contest?" Victoria asked. Going along with the oh so subtle change of topic, Jefferson answered.

"It doesn't." He told her, making her perk up. "The contest is still on, and I've received entries from everyone. Except Damon." He frowned. "He had a photo that I think could be a real winner." he told her absentmindedly.

"Come on, you know whatever dark, twisted, doom and gloom pic he gives doesn't compare to my work." Victoria told him, her cocky attitude clearly having survived the encounter with my fist. "Wouldn't it be amazing to _hang out _in San Francisco, Mark?" She asked, her voice taking on a husky, suggestive tone.

"Let's stick with Mr Jefferson." To his credit, Jefferson barely reacted. "Also, I've yet to pick a winner." He told her, turning to leave. Victoria, however, stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"You already love my work, so it's not like you're playing favorites." She told him. "Besides, if you picked my photo, just imagine what we could do together in San Francisco." She said suggestively. "That would be, fun, don't you think?"

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that." Jefferson said sternly.

"You may as well choose me." Victoria's face twisted into an evil smirk. "Else I might have to tell everyone you offered me first place in exchange for certain… favours." She let that hang for a moment.

"As a favor to your future, I'll ignore that undisguised threat." Jefferson said, clearly not happy, as he pulled away from Victoria

"Wait!" Victoria called out after him, but he kept going. "I just…" She breathed out, seeming really sad all of a sudden. I don't buy it. "Are you fucking kidding me?" She asked bitterly, storming off.

"Just when I think she can't fall any lower, she surprises me." I spat in disdain, glaring at Victoria's form as she headed into the dorm. She's gonna freak when she finds out her laptop is gone. She might suspect me, but my door is locked, as per usual. "Bitch-whore-ia better not give me a reason to damage the other half of her face." I growled.

"Let's go." Chloe said, also sending a distasteful look in Victoria's direction as we entered the building.

* * *

We got in easy enough. Chloe the Keymaster got us into the building and into the reception room. I will admit to be slightly worried about getting into trouble for breaking and entering. Chloe tried to assuage my worries with a joke about how we're not 'breaking' since we have keys, and we can't be arrested for just entering. It was funny, I'll admit, but I was still a little worried. It also seemed as if karma was not on our side, as David didn't have a key for the Principal's office door.

"Son of a bitch." I said with a sigh.

"No shit! The head of security should have a key for all doors." Chloe frowned, glaring at the door.

"Seems Wells has something to hide." I thought out loud. I wonder if its a yellow suit or a tachyon device? Hehehe…

Actually, a device that manipulates Tachyons would be super helpful to me right now. Might help me figure out the extent of my rewind.

"How are we going to find out what though?" Chloe asked. I gave her a smirk as an idea struck me; one I've wanted to try for a good long while now. And with my rewind, I can actually get away with it.

"Follow me." I said mysteriously, walking back into the hallway.

"Ok then, I'm about to get murdered." Chloe quipped blankly. I gave her a dark chuckle, just to humor her.

* * *

"Ok, why are we in the science lab?" Chloe asked me as I looked through the cupboards.

"See if you can find me a hot glue gun and electric tape." I told her.

"Why?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Trust me." I grinned widely. "It's gonna be awesome." Looking at me weirdly, Chloe did as I asked, looking through the cupboards with me. Whilst she found I had asked of her, I found the rest of what I would need for my little project; some paper towel, some paper, and a bit of fuse. As we were finished, we placed all of it on one of the tables. "Now bask, Chloe Price, in the awesomeness that is Damon Azrail." I told her, getting to work.

First thing I did was roll up a rectangular sheet of paper until it was in the shape of s tube, about the length of my middle finger, and around the same diameter. Next, I scrunched up a small ball of paper towel, stuffed it into one side of the paper tube, and, using the hot glue gun, which Chloe had generously prepped for me, I sealed the tube on the side that had the paper towel stuffed in it. Next, I grinned at CHloe, and pulled out my gun, letting the magazine fall out. She didn't ask what I was doing, but I could see she was intrigued when I removed the bullets of five rounds from the casing, showing off the gunpowder in the shells.

"Holy hell…" Chloe gasped as I poured the gunpowder into the paper tube, after the hot glue was dry that is. "You're making a firecracker." She grinned at me. I grinned back as I used the bullets to fill up the tube.

"Nail on the head." I said with a smirk as I slipped some of the fuse into the gunpowder, before sealing up the other end with more paper towel and hot glue. Then, using the electrical tape, I taped the hell out of the makeshift firecracker, so as to build up the pressure and bring out a really good explosion. "Tada." I said cheerfully, holding up the product of my genius. "Just call me, Damon Azstein." I said with a bow.

"Dude, this is going to be awesome." Chloe said eagerly.

"Just you wait, it gets better." I smirked, holding out my hand. "Time for another experiment with the Rewind." I informed as she took my hand. Before she could respond, I rewound.

I was right!

Chloe's eyes widened as she looked around us, time warping as we watched spectral images of ourselves do what we just did in reverse. It took a bit out of me, but I was able to rewind to the point right before where we entered the science room, and that's where I stopped. CHloe let out a loud groan and fell into me. I made sure she didn't fall to the ground. The look on her face, couple with the groans she released, made her look drunk.

"Ugh, is that what's always like?" She slurred, turning a little green.

"Every time." I chuckled, panting. Yeah, that really took a lot out of me. Surprisingly, though, Chloe recovered quite quickly. "And now there's no evidence suggesting we were ever here." I told her, very happy with myself for the clever thought.

"Whoa." She shook her head, massaging her temples. "That was trippy." She said, a chill visibly going down her spine. "OK, I totally believed you the whole time, I swear, but to actually experience it and really confirm it is… something else." She said with a wide grin.

"Makes sense." I gave a wry chuckle as we headed back to the Principal's office.

* * *

"This is gonna be so awesome." Chloe said with a eager grin as we taped the firecracker to the office door. "Bomb voyage." She said, pulling out a lighter.

"Fire in the hole." I grinned. As she set the fuse alight, we both hightailed it away from the door, not wanting to get caught in the explosion, small as it might be. We both flinched slightly as the cracker went off, but it did it's job; it blew up the lock on the door, leaving it wide open.

"Holy shit, that was so fucking cool!" Chloe said giddily. I had to agree. It was quite awesome seeing the cracker explode like that. Not to mention, it was rather satisfying to destroy Wells' office door like that.

*Wooooooooooooot! Wooooooooooooooooot!"

Chloe and I jumped as the fire alarm ripped through the air, blaring from every direction. "Fuck! We're dead! Arcadia Bays Police and Fire Departments are going to be here in minutes!" I exclaimed.

"What do we do?!" Chloe asked frantically. Looking around, I quickly made a decision and bolted right into the office, Chloe following me. As soon as we were both in the office, I quickly grabbed ahold of her shoulder and rewound. Again, we both watched as time warped around us. We could even see the smoke rush towards the door handle and transition into the explosion. Then the explosion got smaller, and smaller, until the door started closing, leaving behind the intact firecracker on the door. We both released a sigh as I ceased the rewind.

"That was close." I said with a sigh.

"And fucking awesome!" Chloe said, still giddy. She seemed a little dazed and dizzy. "Much easier the second time around." She said, shaking her head. Having regained her composure, we looked around the room. "I can see why Wells locks this place up; fancy faux art crap." She said, cringing. "He wants everyone to know he has money, but no taste." She turned the lamp on his desk on. "How can you trust someone who has a fucking bronze bird on his desk?" She asked, uncomfortable for some reason.

"Yes, if only he had a Da Vinci or Van Gogh classic, you'd trust him more." I responded sarcastically.

"Eat me." She shot back.

"Beg for it Baby." I purred in response, making her grin.

"I'm going to pilfer the papers on this ugly ass desk." She said, sitting down on the desk chair. She let out a happy, pleasured sigh. "Ok, it's fugly AF, but damn is it cozy." She hummed happily.

"You do what you're going to do, and I'll do what I'm gonna do." i said, heading over to the shelf, where all the student files where kept. "Let's take a look-see." I said, running my hand over the spines of the files. "P… P… Prescott. Presto!" I said with a wide smile, pulling out Nathan's file. What I saw shocked me. His file was completely clean. No offences, no records of discipline, a perfect attendance record… Ok, maybe I shouldn't be too surprised. Wells probably made a mint changing this file at the behest of Sean Prescott. "Nathan had a squeaky clean file, I don't know why I'm surprised." I said dully, slipping the file back before opening a new one. "Hello Kate." I said with narrowed eyes.

Kate's file described her perfectly; shy, sweet, and in the wrong place at the wrong time. It wrote of how she represented the very best of Blackwell's students, and I have to agree, with her Religious Studies group, and her activities in the Meals on Wheels group, her brilliant attendance record, and her excellent work ethic. There was also a note from the nurse to Wells mentioning that Kate has been closed off and quiet. Now we know why. Sighing sadly, I put the file away and looked for another that might be of use. Warren's file I didn't bother looking at, he's not involved in this. Victoria's was probably so spotless I'd puke.

And then there was mine. Of course, I had to.

My file showed my GPA to be 3.9, same as Victoria and Kate. It said that I was considered by most of the teachers to be the 'quiet and intelligent' type, which wasn't wrong. My prowess with Mathematics, Information Technology, and Photography were all praised, but some teachers, and most students, don't seem to like the fact that I brood when alone, or have a dark or gloomy atmosphere when I'm not talking. Some teachers want me to be a little more assertive in class, whereas others want me to be less so, which I found funny. Then there was a bit on my attitude when challenged in any way, which made me laugh. Finally, there was a new note saying how much of a hero I was when saving Kate, and there was a picture of me walking out of the dorm, holding Kate like a princess. I can smell the rumors from here.

Shaking my head, I put the file back and moved on to a safe on the ground. If I recall correctly, this is where Wells puts all the files of students that no longer attended Blackwell.

"Hello there…" I whispered, my eyes narrow as I pulled out Chloe's file. I smirked evilly as I read through it. Oh, this would make great blackmail material. It had info on how she would disrupt classes, fight with the teachers, graffiti the school, and cause trouble everywhere. I felt of guilt course through me as I realised yet again that this would be different if I hadn't abandoned her, but I quickly swallowed it. I maintain that Chloe and I share equal blame in our lack of communication. The file also mentioned that she was remarkably intelligent, but threw away all of her potential. It made me sad. As much as I love the punk Chloe, I do miss the sweet, snarky, and artistic girl I knew in my childhood. The Chloe of today is so different, but so the same.

Shaking my head, I put the file back and pulled out another, this time the one I was looking for.

"Bam." I said with a triumphant grin. Rachel Amber's file, right in my hand. Honestly, I had to call bull on this file. I mean, from what Chloe tells me, this girl could have definitely been going places, but this is a bit too much. She was ridiculously popular with both students and faculty, excelled at everything, be it classes or extracurriculars, and she was apparently the 'quintessential student representation of Blackwell Academy.' She also had career goals in international law and fashion modelling. Yeah, bullshit. Nobody's that perfect. She probably has some deep issues buried behind this mask of perfection.

…

Or maybe I'm just resentful because she might have been closer to Chloe than I ever was…

"Well that's a depressing thought." I said with a sigh, putting the file in my bag. I also grabbed Kate's file, as well as Nathan's. They'll come in handy later in our little investigation. "I got the files, how are things on your end?" I asked, walking up to Chloe, who still sat on the cozy, ugly office chair, a dark look on her face.

"Nathan accused Rachel of bringing drugs onto campus." She spat angrily. "And step-douche went along with it because he thought Rachel was a bad influence on me." She growled.

"Wankers." I shook me head, leaning forward next to her. "Nathan and Madsen working together cannot be a good thing." I frowned as I skimmed through the contents on the screen.

"Nathan Prescott the Third." Chloe read snidely. "He's so money!" She said sarcastically. "And you know the Prescotts dropped a major bank to bury Nathan's real file." She pulled up Nathan's file, the real one.

"I see this." I said, perussing it. "Seriously, it looks more like a rap sheet. Bad grades, teacher complaints, secret probation." I shook my head. "And yet you were the one expelled."

"Equality for all!" Chloe cheered sarcastically.

"Indeed." I said as something caught my eye. "What's that?" I asked, pointing at a note file. Chloe opened it. It showed a weird, freaky drawing full of swirls and squiggles. Honestly, I'm not sure how to describe it.

"Just some freaky drawing." CHloe said impatiently.

"No, look closer." I told her, catching something. "Rachel in the dark room, Rachel in the dark room…" I read. "That's all it says, over and over." I frowned. Dark room? Does that refer to a film photography room where one develops film in dark red light?

"That is fucked up." Chloe breathed out, honest to God scared. "What does this even mean?" She asked, her hands massaging her temples.

"Not sure, but I think we can safely assume Nathan has something to do with Rachel's disappearance." I frowned, scrolling through some other files. "David M always asks what's going on in my head. David M always helps me follow those her follows?" I read, confused. "Cryptic much?" I asked.

"No, it sounds like they've formed some kind of weird team." Chloe frowned.

"Step-douche and his loyal sidekick, Douche-canoe." I said dryly, making her smirk. "That aside, David stalking Kate, suspicious of me, and he was all over Rachel." I said.

"We are so going through his garage files." Chloe decided. "Plus, I'm getting a little paranoid in here." She added. I had to smile at that.

"As am I." I agreed. "Let's bolt." I suggested.

"Not without a gift," Chloe responded, smirking as she perused the desk with her eyes.

"Leave the chair alone." I said with a sigh.

"Whoa…" She gasped. Not sure if it was serious though. "Can you read my mind? Or did you rewind after I tried to steal the chair? Fuck, I'm confused." She groaned.

"It's called being best friends." I told her, amused. "We've known eachother since daycare. I know how that pretty little head of yours works." I told her, crossing my arms.

"If you say so." She said with a smile, one that seemed a little more happy than I've seen from her these past few days, as she nosily opened one of the drawers. "Hullo, what have we here?" SHe asked, suddenly very interested in a brown envelope. It was rather thick due to its contents; a large wad of cash. "Holy shit, jackpot! Cha-ching!" She was suddenly very excited.

"Holy Hell, that has to be about five or six grand." I said surprised. "Quite a bit for a handicapped fund." I said with a frown, reading the envelope label. Something's not right here...

"Dude, I could pay back Frank tonight!" Chloe said excitedly. "This will calm him down after our gun fiasco yesterday!" Her smile suddenly fell as she saw my conflicted face. "Dude, are you gonna make a big deal of this?" She asked, suddenly exasperated.

"Chloe." I looked at her.

"Or are you going to rewind and take the green for yourself?" She asked with a huff. "Rather that than lecturing me." She grumbled, falling into the chair with her arms crossed. I was silent for a moment.

"I can't help but notice that there aren't any handicapped students here at Blackwell." As I spoke, Chloe's head shot back up. "And I suppose Frank will be more willing to talk if he's paid." I added. Chloe's face suddenly split in a wide, beautiful smile as she jumped up and hugged me tightly.

"With the leftover dough, we can head over to Portland for the day." She told me with a wide grin, one I could only return. "We'll stock up on tats, whiskey, weed, and donuts." She said eagerly.

"Edibles!" I told her.

"And Strip Clubs!" She returned eagerly. "Kidding." She added quickly. "But, you never know." She said, wagging her eyebrows suggestively.

"Chloe!" I gasped dramatically, placing a hand on my chest. "You haven't even taken me to dinner yet, and you're already thinking of threesomes!? You're a fiend!" She laughed at me. "Fiend I say!" I declared in a dramatically deep voice. She laughed as we left the room. As much as I feel like shit for taking that money, it's worth it if I can see Chloe smile like that.

Also, I maintain that there are no handicapped students here at Blackwell. Why would Wells need a Handicapped Fund?

* * *

**Ok, I'm gonna stop here. I was going to add more, but I decided against, since I wanted to get a new chapter up before Saturday. Why do I want that? Well… **

**I'm moving!**

**And not just to a different house, no. Thing about me is, I'm inherently British, but I was born and raised in Cape Town South Africa. Now, I'm getting out of this shithole of a country, and moving to Canberra Australia! My flight is in two nights. I wanted to get one more chapter out before I leave, and here it is.**

**Also, I'll have to put my writing on hold for a little while, since moving and all that crap is a whole lot of hard work and change. I'll only be in Aus on Sunday, after the time-zone mind-fuck, and I'm not entirely sure how long it'll take to settle in. But, once that's done, I shall continue my writing. Believe me when i say this story will be getting VERY good VERY soon. I promise you that.**

**And, to settle all your minds, I will NOT be rewriting this story. Maybe I'll try another version when I'm done with this one, but I won't cancel it. Will the Storm Come is here to stay. Also, I need a new name for this fic, seriously. If you have any ideas, I'm all ears(eyes.) If you give a good enough name, you'll get a shout out! **


	8. Chaos Theory - Part 2

"That impish look is making me uncomfortable." I said as I followed Chloe out of the Principal's office. She had stopped and turned to face me, giving me, as I said, an impsh grin. One full of mischief. "What are you thinking now?" I asked, exasperated.

"Care for a midnight swim?" She asked, holding up the keys. "The Blackwell pool is ours." She grinned.

"Chloe, I'm suspended, my scholarship is hanging by a thread, and we just stole 5k from the Principal." I said with a sigh. "You really want me to take that risk now?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's been a cray week; we deserve a little mindless fun in the water." She said coaxingly. "We're done for the night, we're rich, and nobody busted us." She smiled widely. "So, splish splash?" She asked, dangling the keys.

"Fine, splish splash." I conceded with a sigh. "If we get caught, I'm saying you _hella_ blackmailed me with a nude photo or something." I told her, somewhat mockingly.

"Fair enough." She said with a chuckle. "We hella deserve this though." She said happily as we left the main building, headed for the gym, where the pool was located.

* * *

"And here we are in the Otter's lair." I said as Chloe and I walked through the entry corridor of the gym.

"Big fucking deal, I want that heated water!" Chloe shot back, and eager grin on her face.

"So do I, if I'm being honest." I admitted, eliciting a grin from her.

"I knew I could turn you into a rebel." She teased.

"Hey, unlike you, my rebellious phase is over." I told her, my arms crossed. "And, also unlike you, I'm still a Blackwell student. That doesn't change with suspension." I said.

"Please." She rolled her eyes. "With your power, you could rule this hell-hole." She smirked at the prospect.

"Yes, and turn all the pretty girls into my Mistresses." I responded sarcastically. "If I wanted to rule this place, I would have by now, _trust _me." I said with a dark smile.

"OK, severely creeped out now…" Chloe mumbled.

"Then my job is done." I smirked, walking on. Chloe followed. She was quite eager for the pool, and I'd hate to upset her. Better go along with whatever evil plan she has. For now. I'll find a way to shift it into my favor soon enough, hehehe~

"Alrighty then~" Chloe cooed, walking in front of me. She put her hands behind her back and leaned forward slightly, a mischievous smile on her face. "Boys, or girls?" She asked, referring to the locker rooms.

"Girls." I said, grinning. That clearly wasn't the answer she was expecting, judging by her shocked expression. Not that I blame her; I was quite a little prude when we were kids. Except when we were changing or showering together as kids. Never cared back then. But, when sex came up, or girls in general, I'd cringe and change the subject, making Chloe laugh. Not that she was all that open back then either, but I digress.

"Pervert." She mumbled under her breath, heading for the girl's locker room. I grinned at her widely, loving the tongue-tied, shocked expression on her face. I really wanted to go around and snoop through some of the lockers, but resisted as Chloe and I travelled through the locker room, towards the pool. I might be curious and inquisitive about other people's lives, but I'm not nosy enough to breach a person's privacy.

"Wow." I said as Chloe and I finally made it to the pool. She put on a big smile and quickly rushed over the side of the pool, running her hand through. "It's bigger than I thought." I said out loud.

"See if you can find the switch for lights." She told me. "I wanna see the sharks!" She was quite eager.

"Otters and sharks do not go well together." I said dryly. "Sharks bite."

"So do I." Chloe returned, grinning. "Hit that light!" She whooped. Sighing with a tired smile on my face, I strode over into the gym office, finding the switch for the pool. As soon as I flipped it on, I turned and left the room, just in time to see Chloe removing her clothes. Except for her undergarments, that is. She was left in only a plain, simple black bra, and a pair of sunset orange panties that had black palm trees and birds on them.

It was surprising, seeing how much Chloe's body had developed over the past five years. Her chest was nothing to brag about, not even that much to grab onto, if one wanted to. Or could. Her hips, however, were a different story. Her legs were slim, showing off a minor thigh gap, but she still had a plump and soft looking ass, which was quite enticing as she bent over to leap into the pool. As she did so, I snapped out of my daze.

"_Holy hell!" _I mentally exclaimed in realization. _"I was just checking out my best friend." _I thought to myself, shaking my head. Ok, to be fair, Chloe had always been easy on the eyes. Back when we were tweens, she was cute. I have pictures to prove it. Now, she's gorgeous. I've said before that I have a thing for bad girls and punk girls, and out of all my ex-girlfriends, most of them were punks like Chloe. The style fit her so well, like she was meant to be a punk.

That must be it.

Chloe appeals to me now because of her punk style, that doesn't necessarily mean that I see her as anything more than my oldest and closest friend. One can be best friends with an individual and still find said individual incredibly hot without it meaning anything.

"Yo! You gonna keep staring, or you gonna jump in?" Chloe asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"What? Sorry." I said, shaking my head. "Got a little lost in thought there." I told her.

"Well, find your brain, and hop in! It feels just like a hot tub!" She said with a happy sigh, moving around in the water. "And with the cash stash, I feel like the Queen of Earth! Bow!" She whooped.

"Please, if you're a Queen, I'm a God." I said cheekily, placing my hand on my hip. She flipped me off in response, flinging some water at me. "Oi! No!" I laughed, jumping back.

"Stop me!" She shot back, laughing.

"You asked for it." I grinned evilly, removing my jacket. I stripped down all the way to my underwear, smirking as Chloe's jaw dropped. I took pride in the way she stared at my abs without any shame. The fact that I can have that kind of effect on Chloe of all people is an ego-booster, especially considering she's more into girls than guys. She's been that way for as long as I've known her. Not to say she's utterly gay, but she definitely leans more towards girls. "See something you like?" I asked, bouncing my pecs again. Just like with Victoria and Taylor, Chloe's eyes nearly popped out of her head. Laughing, I took advantage of her distraction and cannonballed into the pool. Oh yeah, definitely feels like a hot tub.

"Ass!" Chloe laughed as I came up for air. I grinned at her in response. "Why look, and otter in water." She smirked. "Dun-dun-dun-dun dun-dun-dun-dun…" She mumbled the Jaws theme ominously.

"Oh, haha." I laughed dryly, splashing her face. "Remind me, who was clinging to whom when we first watched that movie?" I asked, raising an eyebrow with a smirk.

"Funny." She smiled mockingly. I responded by splashing her face, earning a surprised yelp. "Ass!" She said, again, as our splashing war began.

In the decades that followed, it was never quite clear to anyone who won the Great Splish-Splash War of 2013, but some legends say it was the the Angel of Death who defeated the Great Blue Butterfly. Others say it was the Butterfly of the Sky who defeated the Death Wolf. Nobody quite knows the truth, except for the individuals involved. How did the battle end, you might ask? Well, when two amazing and powerful beings such as they go toe to toe, in a fight to the death, what else could happen but…

A tie.

Chloe and I breathed heavily as we floated in the water, next to each other, facing the roof. We shared a light laugh as we calmed down.

"I wish Rachel was here." Chloe whispered, loud enough for me to hear. "She would have loved being here at night." She sighed. "Wish you guys had met." She added, sad.

"We can only hope." I told her. "With everything going on, I'm starting to think everything is related. You, Rachel, Nathan, and even Kate." I said as Chloe and I swam over to the pool's edge, resting our arms on the sides. "I need to find out, for her sake. She almost died today." I said, grimacing at the memory of Kate's bloodshot eyes and hopeless expression.

"This little ability of yours is changing everything D." Chloe told me, uncharacteristically serious. "Even you. You're less chickenshit.' She smirked at me.

"I stopped being chickenshit a long time ago." I shot back, smirking despite myself.

"You know what I mean." She rolled her eyes. "You're becoming, like, this force of nature." She said, wonder in her tone.

"Force? Try luck." I said with a sigh. "I couldn't save Kate with this power Chloe." I said, actually scared. In such a short while, I'd gotten used to being able to do over if I screw up. Now, the prospect of losing that, and people getting hurt because of it, is really scary. "I feel like I'm just stumbling through time, taking a do-over with every mistake I make, and I don't even know why." I massaged my wet temples, slick with my red and black hair.

"You didn't stumble when you saved me." She reminded me.

"Maybe, maybe not." I said with another sigh. "I don't even know if seeing you get shot was what kick started my power, or if it was there the whole time." I shook my head. "I'm really starting to hate the 'back in time' thing." I murmured.

"Well then, move forward." Chloe told me. "We're obviously connected since you wouldn't have discovered the ability if I hadn't been… shot." She let the last word out with a bit of discomfort.

"Like I said; I don't know." I reminded her, frowning. "Who's to say I wouldn't have discovered it if I saw my Mum being shot? Or Kate jumping before I found it?" I ask.

"You really know how to make a girl feel special." She grumbled under her breath, making me chuckle.

"Nonetheless, with you here, I feel like I know what I'm doing." I told her honestly, sincerely.

"And with you here, I feel like I have a reason for staying in Arcadia Bay." She responded in kind. We shared a bright smile and a one armed hug.

"Thanks Chloe." I said as we separated. "It feels good to know you think so highly of me, even if I don't deserve it." I added the last part under my breath.

"Dude, you're like, the smartest, most talented guy I've ever met. You should stop being so humble and self-deprecating." She reprimanded me.

"That sounds like something you want to save for Rachel." I said with an amused smile.

"Dude, I'm not her groupie." She said with a groan. "And I'm sure you have plenty of Blackwell-hoes all over you, like Kate." She smirked at me.

"And Brooke, and Taylor, and even Victoria." I returned said smirk as Chloe's face turned to one of shock. "She was coming onto me like a hooker when I first got here, and she only started being a real bitch when I outright shot her down in front of her minions." I said, snickering at the memory.

"Well, once you get over yourself, you're going to make the world bow." She said to me with a serious smirk.

"And you'll be there." I assured her.

"Don't look so sad; I'm never leaving you." She promised. I had to wince. She said something along those lines the day William died, but referred to me. _'Oh, he's never leaving me!' _Something along those lines. What else would have happened but William dying a car accident and me moving to England a few days later? "I think I've had my pool experience for the year." Chloe said as she pulled herself out of the water. I followed suit. Quietly, Chloe and I began putting our clothes back on. I ignored the gross feeling of having my clothing moistened by the water sticking to my body, as well as the chlorine smell.

"We should head out." I told her. "Like, right now. With our luck, any minute now-"

"Hey, who's there?!" A voice yelled out.

"That's gonna happen." I deadpanned, seeing Chloe's terrified look. "And no, I didn't rewind." I hissed under my breath as we fumbled to find a hiding place.

It took a bit of stealthiness, and some rewinding on my part but Chloe and I were able to leave the gymnasium. David was there with a whole bunch of other security guards, 'searching the perimeter' and other soldier shit like that. Chloe and I had to share and excited hug as we made it out. It's been way too long since we got into this kind of trouble. We grinned widely as we hightailed it for the dorm, only to be stopped by another guard. I quickly rewound to the point where we were standing outside of the gym and told Chloe.

"We can't get to the dorm, crash at my place!" She whispered as we shot towards the parking lot.

"Sleeping in the same house as Blackwell's Security Chief, after breaking about 50 school rules?" I asked dryly. "Sure, great idea!" I gave a sarcastic smile as Chloe and I hopped into her truck. Immediately, she shoved the keys into the ignition. "Wait!" I stopped her, grabbing her arm. Before she could ask what I was doing, I rewound as far back as I could. By the time I was done, the security guards were all back in the gym, searching the locker rooms. That way, none of them could identify the truck. "That's all I got, go!" I gasped at Chloe as the fatigue hit me. She immediately revved the car to life and shot out of the premises.

"Hahahaha! Later fuckers!" Chloe roared in laughter. "D, you rock! We are so fucking awesome!" She said happily, loudly.

"Yes." I grinned at her, widley. "We really are." I said, looking at her happy, wild, free expression. She really was… beautiful.

* * *

It was morning when my eyes fluttered open. For the first time in five years, I found myself waking up on Chloe's bed, with said girl cuddling up next to me, her arms around my chest, and her head resting on my left bicep. It was a familiar position we found ourselves in; oftentimes, this was how we'd wake up back when we were children. Half the time, it was her leaning me, as she is now, the other half, it was the other way around. Muscle memory perhaps?

Regardless, I had to take a photo of this.

Slowy, and carefully, I reached into my laptop bag, which was leaning against the bed, and pulled out my camera. Being careful to not move Chloe, I position the camera for a selfie. Unfortunately…

"Photobomb!" Chloe suddenly cheered as I took the photo. I jumped as I heard her, just barely catching the camera before the photo printed. It showed me, with a startled look, and Chloe holding up a peace sign with her tongue out.

"Funny." I said dryly, chuckling. She grinned cheekily at me, resting her head on my arm again.

"Damn, this brings back memories." She said with a soft, content sigh.

"That it does." I smiled. It was then that I noticed our state of dress. Chloe was only wearing her underwear and a shirt, no bra. I was completely shirtless, wearing only my jeans. Oddly enough, it didn't bother either of us. It just seemed… natural. "Look at us, a guy and a girl, sleeping in the same bed, half naked." I said with a chuckle, turning over to my side to face her. "If it were anyone else, this would be weird." I told her.

"A testament to how long we've known each other." She smiled at me. At that, a depressed feeling came into my heart, probably showing on my face too. "What? What's wrong?" She asked.

"Five years." I sighed. Chloe's eyes drooped in response. "William's death, my Mother's job, and the funeral happening at the same time as the plane leaving…" I shook my head. "I hate that that's how we had to part." I whispered. "I hate that everything turned to shit after that, and I hate that we didn't talk for five years." I gave a depressed sigh. "I wish I'd never gone to England." I finally said.

"D, the last five years have been tough for me, yeah, but you're here now." She told me. "That's… really all I can ask of you." She said softly. "And yes, I'm still upset that you didn't call, but I can't even start to describe how much it means that you're back." She promised. I smiled at her. I wanted to remind her that she didn't call either, but that would just piss her off and turn this into a fight, so I refrained. Chloe smiled back and sat up, and I did the same. We stretched out.

"Feels like a different world from last night, doesn't it?" I asked wistfully.

"We left a skidmark on Blackhell last night." Chloe grinned at me.

"Yeah, it needed another one." I said dryly. As Chloe and I lay back again, resting our heads on our hands, this time free of each other's grip. "I wish we could hang like we did as kids, but I have to get back to Blackwell soon." I sighed.

"You were suspended." Chloe reminded me.

"Maybe, but if I don't hand in my homework, I'll get into more trouble, and Wells will call my parents." I said with a groan.

"Parents?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, Klare married about two years ago; a lawyer in London. Her name is Genevieve." I told her as I sat up.

"Whoa, whoa, Klare's gay?!" Chloe was bamboozled.

"Pansexual, actually." I corrected. "She briefly dated a Transgender man before meeting Genevieve." I recalled.

"What did Jennifer think about that?" Chloe asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, she doesn't know. She doesn't really understand what Transgender is yet." I explained. "She's thirteen." I reminded her.

"Valid." Chloe conceded. "What about your Mom marrying a woman?"

"She understands what it means to be gay or bi, but that's it." I explained. "She was weirded out, but she was fine with it."

"Damn." Chloe shook her head, making me chuckle. "Seems things are wild there as they are here." She said.

"You have no idea." I said, stretching out again. "I'm still wiped from last night." I chuckled.

"Yeah, it was awesome." The bluenette grinned happily.

"You're turning me into a criminal." I said with a fake glare.

"And I'm just getting started." Chloe played along. That made us both chuckle.

"I should get dressed." I said with a small sigh, smiling as I stood up off the bed. My eyes were drawn to the window, and I couldn't help smiling. "The morning sun is always so peaceful." I said with a soft breath.

"Yeah, reminds me of when we were kids." Chloe agreed.

"Unfortunately, we're not children anymore." I gave a dramatically mournful sigh, making Chloe smirk.

"At least we can date now, right?" Chloe asked with a suggestive grin. "Dad was terrified of the day I would discover boys." She snickered at the memories.

"And my Mom was terrified of the day I would discover girls." I sighed. "She refused to let me leave the house after the first time she walked in on me." I cringed at the memory.

"No!" Chloe's eyes bulged out, a wide grin on her face as she sat up.

"Oh yeah, I was 17, and dating a college student." I sighed. "And it wasn't even that serious." Chloe laughed out loud.

"Dude, that's hilarious!" She laughed. "I've never had a serious boyfriend. What about you?" I shook my head. "Well, I did go through a boy-toy phase, among other things." She admitted.

"In my case, it was more being a toyboy than actually having one." I said with a smirk. "As for the 'among other things,' I'm taking a wild guess and saying that refers to experimentation that led to full on bi-ness?" I asked casually.

"Or gay-ness." Chloe shrugged. "Still figuring it out." she said honestly.

"No issue with that." I said simply. "How many girls?" I asked with a grin.

"Perv." She insulted mockingly. "Four." She said honestly. "And five guys." She added.

"Six girls." I returned. Only fair to share if she is I suppose. "Maybe seven." I added.

"Maybe?" She asked with an amused expression.

"Well, shortly before I came back, I was seeing this Russian girl." I sucked air in through my teeth. "She… had an identical twin sister…" I trailed off, grimacing.

"You didn't!" She laughed.

"That's the thing, I don't know." I revealed, chuckling. "It was just a simple summer love; we knew it wasn't going to last, since she had to move back to Russia, and I was moving here, so we made the most of our time together." I sighed. "Last I saw of them, they were in the middle of a fight, and I might have been revenge on the twin's part." I chuckled, seeing how ridiculous it sounds now that I say it out loud. "See, she was usually submissive and sensual, and that last night, whomever I slept with was rough and hard." Some of the best I've ever had, truthfully. "It might have been because it was our last night, or it might have been the twin. All I know is, I slept with one of them before they went hope, I just don't know _which one._" I groaned as Chloe clutched her belly laughing.

"That… Is… the wildest story… I've ever heard!" She laughed.

I rolled my eyes as I stood up, letting her have her fun. As I walked over to the desk chair, where my shirt, socks, and jacket were hung, I cringed. They still smelled of Chlorine. Fantastic. As Chloe's laughter died down, I noticed her phone light up in a text. The pop up showed it was from Frank, probably demanding his money, or declaring vengeance on me, but that wasn't what caught my eye. It was the background image; a picture of me. That warmed my heart. It seems, in Chloe's eyes, I've redeemed myself for the lack of communication. Given what she's been through, I don't think I can be too mad at her for the five years of silence, so there won't be any need for her to redeem herself. I think we can put this behind us.

"You aren't gonna get dressed?" she asked, unconsciously staring at my abs. I had to smirk.

"My clothes smell like Chlorine, no way can I wear them." I said, giving my jeans a tug. "Though my jeans are fine, I guess. Good thing I wiped my legs off before I redressed last night." I said with a sigh of relief.

"Not all of my shirts are girly, see of you can find one in my fashion hole." Chloe told me, gesturing to her cupboard.

"Chlosplay, nice." I remarked, making he chuckle as I walked over to the closet. Opening it, I slid the clothes from one side to the next, one at a time. "Too small, too girly, too torn…" I trailed off under my breath as I scrolled through the clothing.

"Oh, there you go!" Chloe called out as I stopped at a white collared shirt. "That was Rachel's; it's unisex. She used to wear it whenever her father took her to those formal meeting-crap things." she told me.

"It might be a bit small, but I can give it a try." I said, removing the shirt from the hanger. Casually, I slid it on and closed all the buttons. It was a bit tight, and it hugged my abs like yoga pants, but it fit. And I could move around decently, at least.

"Nice." Chloe grinned, staring at my abs again. Seriously? I know I have a good build, but since when are you the type to ogle and stare? "Try the jacket." She suddenly told me, pointing to a black and red plaid jacket hanging off of the hanger on the far left. "It was also Rachel's." She told me.

"You sure about that?" I asked her, raising an eyebrow. "I like the colours, but I'm not sure the plaids fit me." I said with a frown.

"D, stop second second guessing yourself." She told me with a light shove. "You know how to take chances, so go for it!" She urged me. "Let your inner punk outshine the biker! Take another shot!" She smiled deviously. "For example, I dare you to kiss me." She said with a naughty smirk, one similar to last night's, when she suggested we swim.

"Excuse me?" I blanched, cleaning out one of my ears. "Could you please speak in my good ear? I thought I heard you dare me to kiss you." I told her, cupping said ear.

"I double dare you, kiss me now." She said challengingly. I stared at her for a moment.

"You think I'm that easy?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"You think I am?" She asked, a hand on her hip. "Just admit you already macked on me and then used your Rewind." she rolled her eyes. "Guess I can text Victoria and say your saving yourself for her." She mumbled, walking over to her bed.

She sounded, dare I say, disappointed. Still, I couldn't help but smirk. Before she could lay down again, I tapped on her shoulder, making her turn to face me. Before she could ask, or give any kind of remark, I cupped her cheeks and pressed my lips to hers. They were soft and warm, almost heated. It was a nice kiss, if I'm being honest. It only lasted a few seconds, three or four, but she eventually shoved me back, just a little bit, looking at me with wide eyes. I had to snicker.

"Well I didn't say no." I reminded her, smirking cheekily as she stammered slightly.

"W-wow, D. You're hardcore." She stuttered, chuckling with her cheeks flushed. "Guess I should tell Victoria she has no hope now, huh?" She asked, probably in a desperate attempt to change the topic. Her priceless expression made me chuckle, pun intended. I shook my head as I walked back over to the closet, grabbing that jacket and slipping it on whilst Chloe lay back down. "Looks good." She complimented. "Now all you need is a nose or brow piercing, and we'll make a thrasher out of you yet." She grinned.

"Yeah, sure." I said dryly, striking a sarcastic pose. "Ready for the mosh pit, shakah brah." I said in an exaggerated American accent. I can actually do it pretty good sometimes, but this time it was meant to be terrible.

"Alright, alright, point taken." She chuckled, leaning back into her pillow. "Go on down and say high to Joyce, you'll get a free breakfast." She told me. "I'm gonna wake 'n' bake first." she said. "Unless you want some?" She offered.

"No thanks." I held up a hand. "Promised Klare I'd stop, and I intend to keep that promise." I told her firmly.

"You're loss, not mine." She shrugged, reaching for her stash. I rolled my eyes and slipped my shoes on, borrowing a pair of dark blue socks from Chloe. From the waist and up, I looked quite different with Rachel's shirt and jacket. The jacket brought out the red in my hair a little more. I could actually see a bit of my natura; blond growing out at the roots; should probably fix that.

* * *

"Good morning Joyce." I said as I entered the kitchen.

"Rachel!" Joyce gasped, seeing the jacket. Then she noticed it was me, and shook her head. "Damon?" She asked, her eyes wide.

"If you can mistake me for a lithe, blond girl, maybe I should start hitting the gym." I commented dryly.

"Sorry Kiddo, it's just, wow." she said as she looked me over. "You fit those clothes well." She told me.

"The shirt's a little tight, but it's not a nightmare." I said, looking down at the shirt. I wasn't sure how I felt about it showing off my abs like that. I've never been an attention hog.

"I'm just glad you're not a hellraiser like her or Chloe." Joyce said dryly, crossing her arms. "Now why don't you tell me exactly what you want to chow on." She smiled at me. Bless this sweet woman's heart.

"More than almost anything, I have missed your pancakes." I told her.

"Yes, you ate more of those than William, and he loved them." She chuckled, looking back at the memories with amusement.

"I remember how he and I would race to grab as many as possible." I chuckled. "And whenever he got more than me, I would steal one off of his plate when he wasn't looking." I snickered, remembering his reactions.

"Yes, he never could get too pissed at you then." Joyce chuckled. "Mind helping me with the ingredients?" She asked.

"Of course." I told her, heading over to the fridge. I quickly retrieved the milk whilst Joyce went for the flour. I found the eggs in a shopping bag right next to the front door. As I was about to pick them up, I received a text. Surprisingly, it was from Kate.

**Kate: Damon, thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming to stop me on the roof. Of all the people in Blackwell, you were the only one who was always there for me, the only one who cared. And though your methods were not what most would consider conventional, I believe with all of my heart that you were sent to give me hope. You did so much more than that. My family is grateful as well. I know it doesn't mean much to you, but you'll always be in our prayers.  
Love and Blessings,  
Your friend Kate.**

My heart warmed as a relieved feeling filled me. I was quite glad to hear that she was alright. Well, as alright as she can be after all that had happened to her. From what I heard, she was admitted to hospital on Suicide Watch, and is there currently. The fact that she's allowed to text me means she's been cleared for a little outside contact, which is a good side.

**Damon: Hi Kate. I'm really happy to hear that you're doing better. I promise to visit you at my earliest convenience.  
Damon: Also, don't worry about Alice. I brought her to my room last night. She misses her Mommy.  
Kate: Really? Thank you so much! I've been worrying about her!  
Damon: Don't mention it. Also, I have a surprise for you when I visit.  
Kate: I look forward to it! 3  
Damon: ^^**

I had to smile. Even after everything she's been through, this girl can put on a smile. She really is so much like Jen. Always so bubbly and cheerful, finding a way to see the light in the darkest of situations. She's not like me. She's still sweet and innocent. It makes me want to protect her and dote on her like I do with Jen. Maybe that's what got her and I into the situation with her feelings for me. Was I too nice to her? I suppose, regardless, there's nothing I can do about it. Shaking my head, I grabbed the eggs and went back over to the kitchen.

"Thanks Damon." Joyce said with a smile as I passed her the eggs. She'd already gotten the flour out. "After all these years, and everything that's happened, it's great to see you and Chloe together again." She told me with a small, happy sigh as we got to work on the food. I would mix the batter, and she would cook it.

"It's great to be with her again." I said sincerely, smiling softly.

"She hasn't had a real friend since you or Rachel." She said with a soft, sad sigh this time. "She was such a sweet girl." She shook her head sadly. "I keep hoping she'll send a message from Hollywood or something, but…" She trailed off.

"The darker, adult, more realistic side of you says otherwise." I finished for her. She nodded grimmly. "Is there any reason why Rachel would be mad at Chloe?" I asked.

"Chloe could piss off anyone but her." Joyce snorted. "They were almost joined at the head." She smiled softly, no doubt a few good memories coming. "Reminded me of you and Chloe, but Rachel wasn't as grounded as you." She added.

"Grounded?" I asked with an amused smile. "Not the first word I'd use to describe me. Then again, not the last." I thought out loud. "Maybe that's why Chloe likes Rachel so much." I frowned.

"Damon Azrail, are you actually jealous of Rachel Amber?" Joyce asked with a bewildered smile, making me huff.

"It just seems Rachel was much closer to Chloe than I was." I said admittedly. "It… doesn't feel nice." I sighed out.

"If that's the case, why has Chloe spent the past five years telling me she wishes she could be a little more like you?" She asked, an eyebrow up. Wait, what?

"Chloe said that?" I asked, surprised. She nodded. "Wow… Five years, it feels so much longer." I said with a wistful sigh.

"If it were longer, I'd be what, 100 years old?" Joyce asked with an amused smile.

"You look amazing for your age." I said with a sarcastic smile, making her laugh.

"Damon, you're only 19 years old. Ah, youth." Joyce sighed longingly. "If I could go back." She shook her head.

"You don't need to, trust me." I assured her.

"Still a charmer." She rolled her eyes. "I'm a middle aged woman with a daughter who's almost 20 Damon, I could use a little rewind here." She told me. Must. Not. Laugh.

"Take it from a young man who knows what a young woman is supposed to look like; you're fine Joyce, trust me." I pressed.

"Whether that's true or not, it was nice of you to say." She responded, turning her attention back to the food. "Thank you Damon." I smiled in response. "Voila." She suddenly said, holding up a plate of her pancakes. I had to really work to prevent myself from salivating. "You go sit at the table." She all but ordered. Hypnotised by the sight and the smell of the food, I could only obey.

* * *

**And there we have it; the beginnings of the romance developing. I had you all going for a moment with the kiss bit, didn't I? Ha! I'll bet half of you thought he wasn't going to kiss her. Love is blooming here, and it is going to be beautiful. A lot more fast-paced than between Max and Chloe in the game. And yes, before anyone asks, there WILL be a lemon before the storm, pardon the pun.**

**Now, a little side note, I'm finally in Australia! Seriously, Canberra is beautiful. South Africa doesn't even compare. Like, really. In SA, there's crime everywhere, the currency is getting weaker every day, and the government makes Trump look like an angel. To call Canberra an improvement is a huge understatement.**

**Unfortunately, my being in Aus means I have to rekindle my job-hunting, which will cut into my writing time extensively. I wouldn't expect any updates for the rest of the month. Unless I actually land a job, then I'll be able to schedule my writing a little better. We'll just have to wait and see. My uploads will probably be at different times than usual. Back in SA, I would update at around 10pm when I have a chapter available. I intend to do the same, but Canberra is eight hours ahead of SA. So yeah, ya'll are gonna be receiving my updates at different times.**

**I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Please review!**


	9. Chaos Theory - Part 3

"Uuurp…" I burped into my hand, my cheeks slightly pink as Joyce looked at me with wide eyes, having halted her approach to the dining room table. "Sorry." I whispered. She snorted, letting out a light chuckle. "Hey, it's been five years since I've had real pancakes like that." I snapped indignantly, making her grin wider. "And Klare can't cook for shit, you know that…" I added with a grumble as Joyce sat opposite me.

"It's alright Damon, I forgive you for having a body that works properly." She said teasingly, making me huff. My eyes widened as she placed a familiar black book on the table. "Seeing you again, it made me remember so much." She said, opening the book. "I know these pictures don't measure up to your work Damon, but…" She trailed off, flipping through the pages, showing all of the pictures.

"Most of my favorite photographers probably take photos like this." I responded, a warmth filling me as I saw all the photos of Chloe and I together as children. "Wow, it's so hard to believe Chloe and I were so blonde back then." I said, smiling widely.

"You had less of an accent then as well." She reminded me, making me chuckle. "Seems England fixed it up." She noted.

"Something I do not regret, I guarantee you." I told her. "Ah do dee-clay-a, yo peeps messed up mah home lingo." I teased, making her laugh. Joyce's Southern accent was always a source of laughs for all of us back then, even for her. Chloe even had a little bit of one way back when.

"Alright, alright, you made your point." She chuckled. "Just between you and me, Chloe still lets out her accent when she's half-asleep or drunk." She whispered. I grinned widely. Oh, I am so getting some major mileage out of that one. As Joyce flipped through another page, I saw a picture of her and David.

"I've never seen David that happy before." I said, seeing the bright smile on the man's face in the photo as he held Joyce in his arms. "Usually, he has this displeased scowl, like someone skimmed the milk in his coffee." I said, making Joyce roll her eyes.

"David wants us all to be happy, he's just not good at showing it." She told me

"You don't have to tell me." I said with a soft sigh. Still, I have to admit that I partially blame David for Kate ending up where she is now. "Wow, so that's Rachel." I said as I saw a picture of Rachel and Chloe. In the photo, Rachel was wearing the jacket I currently wore. She really was beautiful, I have to admit she looks like my type. Then again, she gives the impression of trying to be everybody's type. "I don't this jacket looks as good on me as it does on her." I said jokingly, making Joyce release a small chuckle.

"You have your own cool style Damon." She told me, flipping the page again. My eyes widened as I spotted a particular photo.

"Holy hell…" I whispered. It was a photo of Chloe and I back when we were tweens, 14 years old, the day William died. We had our arms around each other's shoulders, bright smiles on our faces. My hair was shorter back then, and so fucking blond. It's actually kind of embarrassing. Chloe, on the other hand, had long hair going down her back, strawberry blond, not the golden blond like me. We looked so happy. "I remember this photo…" I said under my breath.

"The last picture William ever took." Joyce whispered sadly. "He had his car out right after this, and…" She trailed off, shaking her head.

"I know." I stopped her before things got too much for her. "I'm so sorry." I said, crestfallen.

"I didn't show you this to be morbid Damon." She told me softly, smiling. "In fact, I want you to have this." She said, pulling the photo from the album. "This was when my baby was so full of life and light. She was so positive and hopeful." She sighed longingly. "Everything she isn't today. It was the last time I saw her truly happy." She said as I took the photo. I couldn't help looking at it with soft, sad eyes.

"Hey, you guys have a bonding session about how fucked up I am?" Chloe suddenly asked out of nowhere, having come down the stairs, wearing her usual outfit, but without the beanie or jacket.

"Narcissist much?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, earning a flip off.

"Damon's right Chloe, it's not always about you." Joyce said to her daughter scoldingly. "It's too early to start a fight, please eat instead?" She asked tiredly as Chloe walked up behind me.

"I'll keep the warden busy while you go peak in the garage." She whispered in my ear. I rolled my eyes, selling the illusion to Joyce that it was some kind of quip or jab at her or David.

"Now stop whispering, or I'll know you're talking about me." Joyce said scoldingly.

"Stop being so nosy mother." Chloe scoffed, taking a few steps around. "I can't do anything around here without everybody getting up in my shit!" She scowled. She really plays the part of bratty, rebellious teen well, doesn't she?

"No one can even joke with you when you fly off the handle like that." Joyce returned, her brow furrowed.

"I'm not going to get in the middle of this." I said, standing up. "Call me when she's calm." I said to Joyce, jabbing a thumb in Chloe's direction.

"Sure, run off and hide when you should back me up!" Chloe snapped in my direction as I walked off. She fell into the chair I had been sitting on with her arms crossed, a perfect bratty-teen look on her face.

"That's not what best friends are for!" I returned loudly. She flipped me the bird again as Joyce stood up, walking towards the kitchen. When she couldn't see me, I quickly and quietly slipped into the garage. "Alrighty then, let's see what Step-douche has hidden on his computer." I said to myself, smirking. Time to let my computer skills shine once more. Clicking my fingers, I got to work. I brought out my own laptop from my laptop bag and connected the two devices with a cable. After that, it was a simple case of using a basic password recovery program, and voila; David's password was displayed on my laptop. It was a date; November 27th, 2008. The day he met Joyce, I'd wager.

Anywho, after putting my laptop away, I scrolled through all the files on David's PC. There was one labelled 'RACHEL AMBER PROFILE.' Giving credit where it's due, David is certainly a good organizer, as well as an info gatherer, even if said info comes from his stalking. It said that Rachel was cutting classes, was caught in possession of various drugs, avoided her dorm, and…

"Oh dear…" I whispered, seeing the picture that showed. It was Rachel, kissing Frank, just outside of his RV. The picture was taken at a distance, and Rachel's back was to the camera, but I doubt that the position they were in was a simple hug or anything like that. _"So Rachel was bonking with Frank." _I frowned. No way Chloe knows about this. _"Question is, why does David care?" _I asked myself. Frowning still, I flipped through the files, finding more profiles, namely of Kate, and myself. I was angry. This guy had pictures of me, my car, my class schedule, the works. He needs help, he really does. I plan on raging at him, really lashing out with my words, once I get him alone. Rather not do that in front of Joyce. Shaking my head, I pulled out a flash drive and downloaded as many of his files as I could. Ejecting the drive, I pocketed it and locked the computer, walking back into the dining room, finding Chloe at the table, and Joyce back in the kitchen. I was behind Chloe and about to speak to her when the front door opened.

"David! You're back already?" Joyce was pleasantly surprised, but her smile fell when she saw the scowl on his face. Case in point to my earlier statement.

"I have to take a nap after writing up vandalism reports last night." David responded in a strange mix between a grunt and a groan. Clearly, he's quite tired.

"What happened?" Joyce asked, crossing her arms. She sent a subtle glance towards Chloe and I, knowing we arrived her last night quite late. Shit, she suspects something.

"Some little shits broke into the swimming pool." David grunted, finally noticing me as I sat next to Chloe at the table. "Figures you'd be here." He scowled. Again, case in point. "Is that your Rachel Amber Halloween costume?" He asked, gesturing to the shirt and jacket I wore.

"Good morning to you too, David." I gave a sarcastic smile, along with a flip of the bird. He scowled again. Was I wrong about the scowl? Note the sarcasm.

"Must be nice to be suspended and having some free time away from Blackwell." He spat as I stood up. We each stepped closer to each other.

"Time off from you, Wells, Prescott, and Jefferson? Quite." I responded snidely, earning a sneer.

"Can we not do this, please?" Joyce pleaded. "Damon, hold the lip. David, stop threatening students!" She said scoldingly.

"He threatens them with surveillance cameras so he can spy on them, like he spies on everyone here!" Chloe piped in. Ok, I'm starting to see why Chloe and David don't have the best relationship… It's not just because he's a paranoid ass.

"Don't. Start. Chloe." David growled through gritted teeth. "Not now."

"I'm always starting shit, aren't I?" Chloe shot back, crossing her arms. "You're a complete paranoid David." She spat.

"Not. Now. Chloe!" David hissed. Maybe he's right…

"You used to call me a loser for getting kicked out of Blackwell. Well who's the loser now David?" Chloe asked tauntingly. "Between your investigations into Rachel and Kate, what have you done besides get into trouble?" She asked, a cocky smirk on her face. "Who haven't you accused or harassed?" She added as an afterthought.

"Besides Nathan Prescott?" I added. "Shite." I facepalmed. "I need to learn to control my big mouth." I grumbled.

"That makes two of you." Joyce snapped, turning her glare to Chloe.

"Chloe." I piped up before Joyce could speak. "Perhaps Step-wanker is right when he says we shouldn't start anything." I told her, earning a betrayed look. Shit. "After all, we have a lot to do, we don't need him taking up our precious time." I added, making Chloe grin and David growl.

"You need to learn to show respect Pommy." David spat at me.

"I've always had a great deal of respect for combat veterans, but after what has happened here and at Blackwell, any respect and trust I had for you has been thrown out the window." I shot back.

"Is this about Kate Marsh?!" He demanded, stepping into my personal space. "You don't know what you're talking about Brat!"

"David, stop." Joyce spoke up firmly. We both ignored her.

"I know that Kate was bawling her eyes out as she stormed towards the dorm, and instead of helping her, you took photos of her." I growled.

"What?" Joyce gasped, glaring at her husband.

"And when she was spiraling down into the darkness before, you threatened her, treated her like a suspect, when she was a victim." I spat. "And to top it all off, you have any number of files on Rachel, Kate, and myself on your computer." Joyce gasped again.

"David, what is he talking about?" Joyce demanded. I didn't let him reply.

"You are a good security officer David, but your obsession with combat and war has distorted your views." I told the sergeant. "You need to get it through your head that the war is over. There aren't any Commies, Iraqis, or Russian war lords hiding in your closet! You're a security officer, not a fucking spy!"

"I won't have you telling me how to do my job!" He yelled, delivering a swift backhand to my face.

"Damon!" Chloe exclaimed, giving David a death glare. "What the hell is wrong with you Asswipe!?" She yelled.

"David!" Joyce snapped at her husband, who wore a wide eyed, guilty face. Before either of them could speak up, I held a hand up to stop them, not making eye contact with anyone.

"Damon, I…" David trailed off, his eyes wide as he looked at his hand. "I didn't… I…" His breathing was heavy, but that didn't stop me from my next course of action. I took a single step forward, and looked David in the eyes, a dark look in my own silver orbs. Before anyone could say anything, I swiftly grabbed David by his wrist and spun around 180 degrees. Before anyone knew what had happened, I had brought David's arm, down on my shoulder, snapping it. "Arg!" he cried out in pain. OK, I didn't really break his arm. It was probably just a fracture, since I don't want to do too much damage.

"Holy fuck!" Chloe gasped as I spun around once more, pulling on David's now wounded arm and pushing the side my hand into his neck. Nobody moved, or made a sound, except for David breathing heavily.

"Let me make this clear to you David." I said, my tone dark enough to send a shudder down Chloe and Joyce's spines. "You might be a soldier, but _I'm _a warrior." I said, a deathly calm in my tone. "Put your hands on me again, in fact, you threaten anyone, ever again, be it Chloe, Kate, or any Blackwell students, I will make you wish you were back in the sandbox, do you understand me, Soldier?" I asked, adding the last word mockingly. He didn't respond, so I squeezed his fractured wrist. "Do you understand?" I asked darkly.

"Yes sir." He breathed out. Satisfied, I let go of him, and he immediately took in a deep breath, clutching his wounded arm.

"Good." I told him, turning to Joyce, who was looking at me with wide eyes. "Thank you for letting me spend the night, and the wonderful breakfast, Joyce." I said to her, much calmer. "I better leave before I turn you into a widow again." I told her, walking off. Grinning widely, Chloe followed.

"Dude, that was awesome." She whispered as she slipped her jacket on. We'd stopped just in front of the front door. "You better not rewind that." She told me firmly.

"I won't." I told her, my tone void of emotion. If she noticed, she didn't say anything. She slipped on her beanie, grabbed her keys, and I opened the door. As Chloe left, Joyce approached.

"Damon." She said to me with a sigh. "I'm sorry you had to go through. This is not what David is usually like, I swear." She told me. Sincerely.

"If you saw him at Blackwell, you'd think differently." I told her with a huff.

"I'm not having this argument with you Damon." She sighed tiredly. "I'll be taking David to the hospital now. Rest assured, once they've taken care of him, he will be punished." She promised. I rolled my eyes.

"I just broke his arm, I think that's punishment enough." I told her, surprising her. "Just make sure he knows that I don't make empty threats." I told her, walking out the door after Chloe, not giving Joyce a chance to respond.

* * *

Chloe drove her truck along the road, smiling widely the entire time. I knew she and David didn't get along, but I didn't think she would take this much joy in seeing David physically hurt like that. As soon as we were off, what I had done finally sunk in, and I felt like shit. I just stooped down to a level I promised I would never fall to. Sensei would be furious if she saw what just happened. Goddammit…

"Dude, why the long face?" Chloe asked, nudging me. "You just took David down a peg! You should be smiling!" She said with an eager grin.

"Forgive me if I don't find breaking a man's arm a reason to smile Chloe." I said dryly.

"Dude, you alright?" She asked. I didn't answer immediately. "Damon?"

"When I was 16, I was exactly where you are. Weed, hellraising, bad crowds, etc. One day it got too much, especially with all the others at school treating me like an outcast because I was raised in America." I told her, catching her attention. "I got clean, but I was filled with all this need to... do shit, so Klare signed me up for an MMA dojo." I sighed. "Those first few months helped, the instructors were good, but it stopped being enough eventually. So, the owner decided to train me herself, personally, privately." I turned to Chloe. "She made me promise that I would never use what she taught me to harm someone out of spite. And you know me Chloe, I don't make promises lightly. I just broke that promise to my Sensei, a martial arts Master who helped me out of a really dark time." I sighed. "So yeah, even if the man I hurt was a douche, I still feel like shit." I told her, looking out of the window.

"Damon… I…" She trailed off, not knowing quite what to say.

"Forget it Chloe." I told her, sighing again. She wouldn't understand. "Anyways, I think you should know, I found things on David's computer about Rachel." I said, frowning as I recalled Rachel's profile. "It seems she and Frank were involved, and I'm not talking about drugs." I explained.

"You can't be serious." Chloe scoffed, finding the idea preposterous. "She was probably posing to tease him, or to get more from him for less." She told me.

"Who are you trying to convince, me or yourself?" I asked of her, earning a glare. "Alright then, why don't we investigate Frank's RV then?" I suggested as we approached Two Whales. Frank's RV was in the driveway. Perfect.

"What's that gonna prove?" Chloe asked as she parked in the driveway as well.

"Well, if Frank had Rachel's bracelet, what else would he have?" I asked.

"For his sake, it better be nothing." Chloe mumbled darkly.

* * *

After finding a parking space where Frank couldn't see us, Chloe and I devised a plan to get Frank's keys. She mentioned that Frank sometimes gets so wasted he forgets to lock the door, but that was not the case this time unfortunately. Not to mention his dog, Pompidou apparently, was in there, barking his ass off at the moment he heard us trying to open the door. So, whilst Chloe scrounged through the rubbish to find a 'scooby snack' for the mutt, I entered the Two Whales Diner and sat at one of the high chairs, focusing on Frank. From what I could tell, he kept his keys in his jacket pocket.

I began to think about how I could get them from him. I also hoped with everything that Nathan, who was also here for whatever reason, would not notice me. I could try to just attack Frank, grab his keys, and rewind, but there was a Policeman here, so I'd rather avoid his notice. I could talk to Frank and keep him distracted, but that idea doesn't sound like it'll do any good, since I can't get get to his keys from the other side of the booth.

Then, something came to mind.

When I was at the bottom of the dorm, and Kate was about to jump, I somehow froze time. Maybe, just maybe, I could do that again? Usually, when I rewind, I clench my right fist, and it happens. However, when Kate was about to jump, I had my left fist clenched. I didn't think to much of it back then, but… Maybe I can work with this… If I can freeze time again, I can take Frank's keys without him even knowing I was there. Yes, that could work. Provided I can pull it off.

So began about half an hour of focusing, trying to freeze time, and rewinding every time someone tried to talk to me. Eventually, however, I started to feel the same feeling I did when my power exploded back when Kate almost jumped, and when I opened my eyes, I had to whoop in excitement. Everything was frozen! Grinning, I carefully got up from my seat and made my way to Frank, being careful, hoping, even _praying, _that time wouldn't carry on without my say so. I managed to get the keys, and made my way out of the restaurant. Grinning, I let time continue, and let out a sigh of relief as the strain on my body failed, Looking at the keys in my hand, I smirked and made my way back over to Chloe, who had found a bone to lure the dog away.

"Somebody order a set keys?" I asked, holding the keys up.

"And Doctor Damon Doom strikes again." Chloe grinned.

"You have the bait?" I asked. She nodded, holding the bone up. Nodding back, I set the key in the keyhole and got ready to open the door, my focus on Chloe. "Ready?" I asked her, earning a nod. "One…" I said.

"Two…" Chloe continued.

"Three!" We said in unison as I opened the door. The dog burst out, right at Chloe.

"Get the snack Scooby!" Chloe said to the dog, throwing the bone into the parking lot. Pompidou immediately chased after it. "Check it out, we made the dog our bitch!" Chloe grinned, making me roll my eyes.

"Another groaner, Chloe." I said dryly.

"Screw you! I'm funny!" She said defensively.

"Regardless, we should get in, snoop, and get out. I don't want to give Frank any time to find us." I told her.

"Good call." She agreed. As soon as we entered, I had to grimace. This place did not smell pleasant. There was a mixed aroma of mildew, mold, and marijuana. Yeah, not great. "Jeez, and I thought my room was a shithole." Chloe mumbled, seeing the state of Frank's RV.

"You're not a creepy dealer, Chloe." I responded with an eyeroll as we started our snooping.

"Frank is many things, but he ain't creepy." Chloe replied, sitting in the driver's seat. "At least, I didn't think so until I saw him with Rachel's bracelet." She mumbled bitterly. Her bitter frown quickly turned upside down as she put her hands on the steering wheel. "Man, we could cruise everywhere in this bad boy!" She grinned. "Can you see us heading down to Big Sur and beyond?" She asked, the grin still plastered on her face.

"As much as I'd love to fantasize about this vehicle, we are on a time limit." I reminded her.

"Right, clues about Rachel." She said, standing up. "You scope the area, I'll look through his computer." She told me. I nodded in agreement as she sat at the RV's little table, where the computer was set up.

Seriously, Frank is an 'as seen in TV' hoarder. There's everything you'd expect a dealer to have here. A huge stash, a shit load of sugary food for when one gets the munchies when high, a dog bowl, dirty dishes, a police radio, a lesbian porn poster, the works. It really gave some insight into Frank's character, but what got my attention was the loose air vent close to the ground in one of the corners. Why would an air vent be loose? Because there's something hidden in it. So, grabbing a knife that was resting in an open pizza box, which still had pizza in it, I pried the vent open.

"Bingo." I smirked, finding a small pile of papers in the vent. And what do you know? They're all Rachel-related. Several letters, and a couple of photos. One letter was an apology for being a 'monstrous bitch.' Another was a warning that she wouldn't tolerate anymore violent behavior. Ladies, the moment your man shows the slightest hint of violent behavior, get out of there and never go back to him. No matter how much you love him, a guy who hits you isn't worth it.

Ok, fourth wall back intact, I went from the letters to the photos, and couldn't help grimacing. One showed Rachel driving the RV, another showed her hugging Pompidou. One of them showed Frank hugging Rachel from behind as they smiled for the camera, another was of Rachel dancing in her underwear. Then there's a photo showing Rachel… nude… Or, topless, I should say. It doesn't show anything above her stomach, but she's bare everywhere above in this photo. I will deny anyone who tells me I stared for more than two seconds.

"Chloe, you should see this." I said regretfully. As I gave the pile of letters and photos to Chloe, I felt a stab of sorrow in my heart. As she scrolled through them, her eyes welled up. The last thing Chloe needs right now is to be hurt again.

"I can't believe it…" She breathed out, anger seeping through her tone. "I can't believe she was banging Frank! Bitch straight up lied to my face!" She cried out in anger.

"I'm sorry Chloe." I told her sadly. "I don't want this to be true either." I said softly, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Why does everybody in my life feel the need to let me down?" She growled, glaring at the photos. "First my Dad dies, you bail on me for years, my Mom hooks up with Step-fucker, now Rachel betrays me." She spat.

"Chloe…" I whispered. "I'm sure Rachel really cared about you. And she's missing, she didn't betray you." I tried to calm her.

"Bullshit! Who hasn't?! Fuck everybody!" She hissed, getting and stomping off. As we both left the RV, Chloe, in a fit of rage, threw the keys to Frank's RV into the air, and they landed on the roof of the building next to the Two Whales. Her anger not calmed in the slightest, she stomped off back towards the truck. My stomach twisting in sorrow and grief, I followed her. She got into her truck and slammed the door closed. I was just barely able to get in before she ignited the engines.

Never before have I wished so much for a seat belt…

* * *

"Chloe, you can't keep blaming everyone else for all your problems." I told my oldest friend as she sped through the streets, a look of pure rage on her face.

"If I can't blame someone else, it's all my fault. Fuck that!" She spat, running a red light. It's taking all of my concentration to not scream at her for her reckless driving.

"So it's everyone else's fault then? Even Rachel?" I asked incredulously.

"She was spreading her legs for that PIG!" She screamed. "I can't trust anyone! No one cares! Not even you!" She hissed through gritted teeth. At least, her refusal to make eye contact gives her an excuse to watch the roads.

"Chloe, if you don't take that back, we re going SERIOUS problems." I whispered darkly.

"Fine." She spat back at me. "But you don't understand. It's like the universe just constantly wants to bend me over and ram it up the tailpipe!" She growled.

"So who so you most want to blame?" I asked expectantly.

"My fucking Dad of course! Hello?" She cried out in anger and grief.

"Seriously? William? You're joking!" I exclaimed incredulously.

"Do I look like I'm joking? He chose to walk out of that door and leave me forever!" Chloe suppressed a sob.

"He didn't chose to leave Chloe! It was an accident."

"I know, Damon, I know. My Mom sometimes blames herself… All because she wanted a ride! Sometimes… even I blame her…"

"I don't believe you."

"Well it's the truth! Do you have any idea what it's like to watch your father walk out the door, and not know that he's never coming back?!"

I chuckled humorlessly. "More than you realize…" I whispered, shocking her. "But that doesn't matter. I was there Chloe, it was an accident! A horrible, accident." I said firmly.

"I wish that made me feel better, but it doesn't." Chloe responded, her voice quivering. "Ever since he died, my life has been dipped in shit." She said, depression replacing her anger.

"Apparently." I said with a soft sigh. "But Chloe, don't you see? We've been back in action together for almost a week. You're life has affected mine, and vice versa. That is not 'shit' in any way." I told her.

"I'd love to believe that…" Chloe said, getting emotional. "After all that's happened, I'd like to believe in something…" She whispered, choking back a sob.

"Chloe, I can't do this by myself…" I whispered. It hurt, it really hurt seeing my best friend like this. "Rachel needs you… I need you…" I told her. She didn't respond. She just stopped right outside of Blackwell and refused to speak to me again. She didn't even look at me. Clearly, she needs space to process this. I'll give it to her. Sighing, I got out of the truck and closed the door. Chloe didn't say a word. She just drove off. Watching after her with a forlorn gaze, I made my way back to my dorm room. Since I'm suspended, there's not much else I can do right now, is there?

* * *

I sat on my desk chair looking out the window, allowing the morning sun to shine in. With all the crap that happened so far, it's easy to forget that it was still before noon. It's actually only 11am right now. Chloe dropped me here about half an hour ago, and I've been sitting here at my desk, ever since. I sighed as I brought up the picture Joyce had given me. I really miss those days, when Chloe would smile and laugh. She's so different today… So the same as well, but so different.

As I was focused on the photograph, some distorted sounds hit my ears.

"_Haha, get a close up of Damon!"_

"_Knock it off Chloe!" _

I gasped and shot up from the chair, dropping the photo to the ground. "What the fuck…?" I gasped. That was Chloe's voice, and mine, five years ago, when we were tweens. Why am I hearing that?

"_Yes , kids. Time for a picture." _

My blood ran cold. That was William!

Gulping, I leaned down and focused on the photo.

"_Cheesecake!"_

"_Come on, say pancake!"_

"_Chloe, I can't see! Haha!"_

The photo distorted, and blurred, and all of a sudden, I a bright white light flashed, blinding me.

* * *

**And there we have it! I've so been looking forward to writing these next few chapters. This is when the real divergences from Canon start, trust me. The alternate reality is going to be different, the return to the original time will be different, and so on and so forth. Rest assured, it's going to be AWESOME. Also, a big thank you to anime-death-angel for the story's new name!**

**However, there is something I want to address; reviews. Seriously people?! One of the biggest reasons I write is to GET reviews. The most any chapter of this story has gotten is seven reviews. Seven! Holy Lightning Twins, Fire and Blood, Chaos and Order, and even Truth, Honor, Vision get more reviews per chapter than this story!**

**I'm starting to think that this just isn't a good story. As much as I want to carry on, if I'm not going to get reviews, I'm not sure I want to continue with this story. I have so many awesome ideas, but the lack of reviews is making me second guess myself. And I don't want reviews that just say 'Good chapter, keep it up' or 'Nice work, good story.' Give me your thoughts on the details, the differences from Canon, the way Damon handles situations, his character, your ideas for the future! I want to hear it all from you guys! Please? **


	10. Chaos Theory - Part 4

I blinked the light out of my eyes. Bright as it was, it only lasted a few seconds. I shook my head as the light faded. What the hell was that?

"Someday, Dad'll get one of them newfangled computers." A hauntingly familiar voice spoke, making me freeze.

"Sorry Damon, I hope the flash didn't scare you." Another voice, even more hauntingly familiar.

No… way…

No, fucking, way!

Here I stood, in the Price Household, in front of William, and a fourteen year old Chloe. Chloe had her long strawberry blond hair down, wearing a long sleeved purple shirt with the words 'ARCADIA BAY OREGON' on the chest, grey jeans, and blue sneakers. William wore dark blue jeans, black flats, and plaid long sleeved collared shirt. His short hair was the same shade as Chloe's. And as I looked at myself, I paled even more.

I was 14 again. 19 years old, in my 14 year old body. I was shorter than Chloe at this point. I wore black jeans, which seem to be a consistent since I was 5, a plain white T-shirt with a solid black wolf head shape over the heart, my old digital watch, and a pair of black converse with white soles. I'm not quite sure when the cheery black and white theme turned to a gloomy black and red, but… It was nice being like this again. At least, it would have been if I wasn't panicking on the inside. And my hair! It was short and golden blonde again.

I just jumped back to 2008!

"This, is a keeper." William grinned at the photo as it cleared.

"Not until I see it first!" Chloe suddenly cried out, snatching the photo from him. "You know the rules Dad!" She reminded him. "Damon, tell him…" Chloe's happy smile fell as she turned to me. "Whoa, hey, you look totally pale." She told me.

"Well, paler." William piped in. Chloe ignored him.

"Are you ok?" She asked me in concern.

"Yeah, I'm alright." I spoke in my old mix of an English and American accent. Chloe and William seemed to accept the blatant lie.

"OK Chloe, thumbs up, or thumbs down?" William asked. I remember this… Chloe says she might allow it into the family album.

"Well, I just might allow this one into the family album." She said with a satisfied smirk. There we go…

"You're the boss." William grinned at his daughter.

"But not the cook? Things change Daddy." Chloe said with her own version of adorable cockiness.

"Yes, we can't expect your mother to come rushing home to cook for us slackers…" William responded with dry amusement. "Now, who wants to make crepes?" He asked, grinning.

"You mean pancakes." Chloe corrected him.

"You mean crumpets." I corrected her, earning a fake glare with a pout. I so want to smoosh her face with my hands right now… she looks so cute!

"In France, they call them Crepes." William told us. "And a good French chef needs his assistants." He smirked at us. "If you want breakfast."

"Crepes it is." I responded immediately. Never before have I been so grateful for a photographic memory…

"Oui!" Chloe agreed quickly. "I volunteer to crack the eggs!" She said cheerily, walking up to her father's side. I suddenly got an idea.

"Before that…" i said, picking up the Polaroid camera. "It's my turn to shoot." He said.

"Make me a star!" Chloe whooped, hugging her father's waist with one arm.

"Just make me look young." William quipped as he placed his hand on Chloe's shoulder. They both smiled as I took the photo. I'll consider that my trophy for a successful mission in time. As the photo printed, the reality of the situation truly hit me. Please don't comment on how it didn't earlier.

I just jumped back in time five _fucking years, _to the very day William died. In about 10 minutes, William is going to get a call from Joyce, requesting a ride from the supermarket. On his way there, William's going to be T-boned by a drunk trucker, and die. Meanwhile, Chloe and I are going to be rummaging around the house trying to find the old time capsule we buried when we were ten. I never let her know that I remembered the exact spot we buried it, and she never let on that she already knew I was leaving for England. Christ, this is heavy… But the implications…

I can save William.

Chloe can have her father back, she won't spiral into an abyss of depression, she'll be able to grow up with a father who loves her, she won't get into trouble with the law! However, what are the consequences that could come along? Joyce won't meet David, so where will he be? Will Chloe still meet Rachel and become friends with her? Will she be happy to see me after five years? Hell, what'll happen to me? Will I become what people call a 'Pommy Biker?' Will I still have the gloomy red and black colour scheme? Will I have the same relationship with Jenny and Mum? Will Mum even meet Genevieve? God, there are so many variables, but…

"So, how many eggs?"

"Mom says it depends."

"That is correct!"

"Oh, so now you're the chef?"

"Without your Mom around, yes."

"Please, Damon's a better cook than you!"

"I remember those steaks he made last month…"

"Daddy, you're drooling."

"Oops!"

Seeing Chloe and William smiling and laughing like this, with their playful banter and laughter, tossed all of my doubts aside. I'm giving this a try. If it things turn out worse because of this huge change to the timeline, then I'll find a way to deal with it. Right now, Chloe, like this, happy, is all I want. Say it's dark, selfish, or psychotic if you have to, but I honestly don't care if a couple of people get screwed for that. She's worth it.

With my mind made up, I began devising a plan to prevent William from using his car. Or maybe taking a differing route.

If my photographic memory is correct, which it usually is, William got the call from Joyce, found his keys under the hat on the coffee table. My eyes shifting, I saw that hat was still indeed there. Now to-

"Hi Honey." William greeted into the home phone. Fuck! "Just making a wonderful breakfast with CD." he told her. CD, William's old nickname for the two of us. "I didn't know you were going to get groceries. Of course I can pick you up! I'll be there in 20 minutes." he smiled into the phone. "I now have an excuse to get a mocha. Love you." he said as he hung up. "Sorry kids, gotta go pick up my Queen. She doth have a bag full of delicious grub for us to devour." he told us jokingly. I had to swallow a lump in my throat.

"You're ridiculous!" Chloe laughed.

"You'll be thankful for that someday." William shot back, still grinning. "Shit, where are my keys?" He asked as he searched his pockets.

"That's a dollar for the swear jar!" Chloe whooped.

"You mean your college fund!" William retorted. "Aha!" he said as he found them under the hat. Dammit, I thought he wouldn't find them if I didn't point them out. "I'm headed out. Try not to destroy the house." He told us, heading for the door. He stopped just outside of the kitchen. "And no CD Wine-tasting session." he warned, half serious.

"Daaaad!" Chloe whined. I couldn't resist.

"Her fault." I pointed in Chloe's direction.

"Damon!" She snapped at me, glaring. I grinned cheekily.

"Don't cause too much trouble." William told us with an amused smile. "Joyce is making her not-but-should-be world famous salmon surprise with chocolate cake for dessert." I will deny anyone who tells me I was drooling."You'll be here, right Damon?" He smiled that fatherly smile at me.

"Oh, he's never leaving me!" Chloe said happily. Chloe… Why did you say that? You know I'm leaving. I may not have known she knew back then, but…

"That makes all of us." William smiled at his daughter. God, William, must you twist the knife? I couldn't take it anymore. With the usual clench of my right fist, I rewound.

"I remember those steaks he made…"

"Daddy, you're drooling."

Good. Without wasting a single second, I carefully slipped away from their notice and grabbed the keys. I tried hiding them in the cereal box, because I didn't believe for a second that William would look there, but then he pulled out this little SpyTech thing that set of an alert on one of the key chains. So, I rewound again, and this time, I threw the keys out of the window. It was odd, looking out the window. There was nothing. Literally nothing, except this bright golden light. It was like the house was surrounded by an up close sunset. It seems this little photo-jump only allows me to roam within the confines of the photo. Or rather, a particular perimeter of where the photo was taken.

"Shit, where are my keys?"

"That's a dollar for the swear jar!"

"You mean your college fund!"

"Chloe's going to college?"

"Damon!"

"Yes, she's going to college." William smiled at me in amusement, bringing out his beeper. "Of course… Last time I order from SpyGuy electronics." He declared as the beeper failed.

"Why not take the bus?" I suggested. "The stop is down the street, there's plenty of room for two people and groceries, and it comes by every 15 minutes." I said with a casual shrug.

"Sold." William nodded as Chloe approached. "I'm off to yonder bus stop." He told his daughter. "Joyce is going to love this…" He said under his breath as he left. Chloe waited a few moments before she spoke to me.

"Damon, you are being so fucking strange at the moment." She said, looking at me with concern. "Are you okay?" She asked. I couldn't help the wide, bright grin that split my face.

"Chloe, I don't know if I can describe how amazing I feel right now." I told her, giddy with excitement. William's going to live! Before I heard what Chloe said next, everything around me faded into nothing, as if I was closing my eyes.

* * *

_An image appears in my mind's eye. It depicts Chloe and Joyce, dressed in funeral garb, standing before a closed casket, their eyes slick with tears. The image shifts into something else; Chloe, William, and Joyce posing for a photo at an amusement park._

_A new image appears. It shows a slightly older Chloe, about 16, with short hair, still undyed. She sits in a forest, a large backpack on her back, as she tucks her knees to her chest. Joyce did once mention that she tried to run away. The image shifts into William and Chloe posing for a selfie._

_Next is an image of David and Joyce at their wedding. They both look so happy. However, the image changes, depicting Joyce and William at a formal restaurant, no doubt celebrating their anniversary._

_A new image shows a younger Chloe, with a single streak of blue hair, leaning over a birthday cake, with a scowl on her face. Across her is David, with a similar expression. They seem to be having an argument. The image shifts into 16 year old Chloe, with long hair still, holding up a set of car keys, a wide, happy smile on her face._

_Then… Another bright flash, and nothingness._

* * *

My eyes fluttered open again, greeted to the brightness of what looked like the sun shining in through a window. I groaned, and tried to get up, but something was stopping me. As my eyes adjusted to the light, I froze as I saw what was stopping me. Currently, I was laying down in a very familiar bed, in a very familiar dorm; Victoria Chase's. It was still exactly the same. And what's on my chest right now? My naked chest? None other than VICTORIA FUCKING CHASE!

Holy fuck! I'm currently in Victoria's bed, naked as the day I was born, with an equally naked Victoria Chase currently resting her head on my chest as she slept. I've never denied the fact that Victoria was beautiful, and yes, her peaceful expression as she slept on my chest was a sight to behold, but I'm apparently sleeping with Victoria Chase now! Crap! Have I really fucked up that badly?

Gulping, I carefully squeezed out of her grip, gently laying her head down on the pillow and getting up. It was at this point in time that I noticed I didn't have any of my tattoos I'd previously gotten. Shit. Working quickly, I found the clothes that could only belong to me. A pair of blue jeans and black briefs apparently. As I slipped those on, a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around my chest. I almost threw the offender to the other side of the room.

"Dami~" Victoria cooed into my ear, softly kissing my shoulder. "Leaving?" She asked seductively, as if trying to give me a reason to stay. Which she probably is.

"Sorry sweetheart." I said with a smile, playing along. "I have to meet with old friend today." I told her, kissing her cheek. She gave a soft, happy rumbled and nuzzled my shoulder, pushing her breasts into my back harder. Dammit, she's really grinding on my self control right now…

"Must you?" She asked, looking up at me through her eyelashes.

"I must." I told her, feigning regret. "This is my oldest friend I'm talking about." I told her.

"Sucks." She sighed, letting go. She fell back into the bed, getting comfortable on her side. I'd say I'm glad she let go, but a partial lie is still a lie. "Hurry back, ok?" She asked in that cutesy, girlfriend pleading way.

"Fast as I can." I told her with a smile, as sincere as I could make it. I tried not to react when she reached forward and gave me a peck on the lips. Don't shudder, don't shudder! As I sat up, I grabbed a shirt that could also only be mine; a short-sleeved white collared shirt. The plain black men's socks are probably mine too, as well as the white running shoes. And finally… a football jacket. It specifically has my name at the back, and the word 'Quarterback' underneath it. Fuck that shit! I hate football! Why am I Bigfoot Quarterback? Shaking my head, I grabbed the jacket and slipped it on. It is a little nippy.

"See ya Babe." Victoria smiled at me brightly. Again, I suppressed a shudder. Hot or not, Victoria Chase is still Victoria Chase.

"See you Sweetheart." I smiled back, leaving as fast as I could. At least my phone is still the same.

* * *

As soon as I left the dorm, it was clear that much else had changed, besides my apparent relationship with Victoria fucking Chase. I'd bet she's sexting with someone else right now. Probably Zach, if he's still here. Anyway, what's also changed is that Warren apparently hooked up with Stella, Nathan Prescott looks a lot more relaxed and happy, and apparently David Madsen is the school bus driver. He looked so depressed as I walked past him.

Anyways, after going through my texts and other communications, I found that my Mom is still married to Genevieve, but my relationship with Jenny is completely different, borderline antagonistic, I'm apparently best friends with Nathan, hurl, and I sext with Victoria quite often. I'm not going to go into details, especially where the pictures are concerned. Also, I'm apparently cheating on her with Dana and Juliet, neither of whom know I'm with the other as well… Jesus fuck, I'm an ass!

Shaking my head, and setting those thoughts aside for later, I quickly ran to the parking lot. Another change. Instead of a 2011 crimson black Chevrolet Camaro, I somehow convinced my Mum to buy me a convertible Mercedes-Benz, dark blue in color. I know this because I saw the texts with Mum, and the keys in my jacket pocket. I must have been very persuasive. As I got in, my eyes drifted to the rear-view mirror, and I couldn't help but scowl. My hair was golden blonde again, as well as short and spiked with gel. I look like a cliche bad-boy football player from a High School movie!

Shaking my head, I ignited the engine and drove off, my destination clear. I tried not to let the dead birds or beached whales distract me. First the snow, then the eclipse, then the birds and the whales… I'm getting some Pestilence and Plague vibes here… And I'm not even that religious… No! Shut these thoughts out Damon. Chloe is what matters now!

* * *

When I stopped at the Price household, I had to gulp. I don't know why, but it was terrifying, seeing that house now completely painted blue, with a front yard full of flowers. As soon as I locked the car, I walked up to the house. As I stopped in front of the front door, I swallowed my fear, and with a grimace, knocked three times. As the door opened, William walked, looking a little older than he did five years, but still somewhat like a young man. Time had been kind to him. Although, there was an uncanny depression in his eyes.

He was surprised to see me.

"Damon Azrail." He said with a giant smile splitting his face. "Taking a break after taking London by storm." He looked me over. "Thought we'd never see you again after you left for your ancestral home." he smiled as we shook hands for the first time in five years.

"I would never do that." I told him seriously, which seemed to make him smile.

"I know Chloe is dying to see you." He told me with a small, warm smile. It didn't hide the depression though. "Give me a minute." He said, walking back in. "Chloe! You have a visitor!" he called out loudly, before looking back at me. "She'll be out in a minute." He informed, getting a nod from me in response.

And, true to his word, Chloe walked out a minute earlier. Except, she didn't walk. My eyes were wide with horror as I saw Chloe. As I said, she didn't walk out of the door. She _rolled _out on a wheelchair. Both of her legs were fucking _gone, _right above where the knees should be, her legs were gone. And her left arm was strapped to the wheelchair on the side. Her right arm seemed to be fine though. She wore a pair of blue jean shorts to cover what was left of her legs, and a simple purple T-shirt. Her hair was the same short style it was before I altered the timeline, except it wasn't dyed blue. It was black. And she didn't have her tattoo anymore.

"Damon…" She whispered, a wide, happy smile appearing on her face. I don't know how she can look so happy in her condition.

What have I done?

* * *

**And so ends Episode Three: Chaos Theory. I must admit, I should have just put the content in this chapter at the end of the previous one. I thought this one would be longer. But, what's done is done. I don't really want to change it up, so I'll just leave it all as is. **

**Another thank you to anime-death-angel for giving me the idea to change Wheelchair Chloe's disability. She is now a double amputee, missing both of her legs, and her left arm is utterly paralyzed. That last part was my idea. There is also more to his idea, but that'll show itself in the next chapter. We're also getting close to the romancing now.**


	11. Dark Room - Part 1

Well…

I can certainly say that I done fucked it up. And fucked it up good, I did indeed. As Chloe and I stroll along the beach path in a comfortable silence, I internally berated and screamed at myself for what I'd done. Not only have a screwed the lives of so many people I care about, but I made Chloe's so much worse than it already was. She lost both of her legs, her left arm is completely paralyzed, and worst of all…

Joyce is dead.

I had to call on every fiber of strength in my being to keep from breaking down when Chloe mentioned that, casually adding it into the conversation on the drive here, as if I should know it already. Which, technically, I should. I wanted to rage, to scream, a part of me even wanted to cut again, but I bottled it up in favor of spending the day with Chloe. It was about 13:00 when we arrived at the beach.

"It feels so weird hanging out with you again." Chloe told me, using her right hand to control the joystick that directed her wheelchair, which I helped her get into from out of my car.

"It does." I agreed. "I'm glad we are though. I've missed you so much." I said softly.

"Me too." She put on a small smile. "It's nice that you sent me actual letters. It's more than any of my other friends have done." She said with a small amount of bitterness in her tone. "And you even write on that cool parchment paper." She added.

"Hey, I love that stuff." I defended, seeing her grin. "It makes me feel like a little closer to my English roots." I huffed.

"So does your improvement in accent." She snickered, making me roll me eyes.

"Well, you deserve the best." I said, sadness creeping in.

"Probably easier to write than to visit." She grumbled. Seeing my grimace, she quickly spoke again. "I don't mean that in a bitchy way, not completely." She told me honestly.

"Chloe, I live on the other fucking side of the planet. It's not exactly a trip to Portland and back." I told her, getting a little defensive.

"Alright, I'll give you that one." She conceded. "You probably wanted to avoid awkward conversations like this." She deduced.

"You don't know the half of it." I gave a humorless chuckle.

"Look, the worst thing anyone can do is treat me like a baby, and you've done none of that." She told me, looking up at me with a smile. "I still want to laugh and talk shit with my best friend." She said with a small breath. "Can we stop?" She asked as we passed a bench. I nodded, and she strolled the wheel chair next to the aforementioned bench, and I sat down at her right. "You should see this place in the evenings; the sunset is beautiful." She told me. "What do photographer's call that?" She asked.

"The Golden Hour." I answered. "It refers to the brief period of time right before sunset or right after sunrise where the sky is at its reddest and softest." I explained.

"No need to mansplain." She gave a playful glare, making me roll my eyes. "Still, if you weren't here, I'd have no clue. Bet you take some amazing shots." She gave a light sniffle. "Those beached whales are so sad… I kind of know how they feel." She whispered sadly. "But, at least I'm alive here with you." I placed my hand on hers, the one that wasn't paralyzed.

"I cannot begin to think how strong a person has to be to be able cope with this Chloe." I gave her a reassuring smile. "You're a real survivor, you know that?" I asked.

"Unlike my Mom." She whispered, sniffling. "My Dad still feels guilty about buying me that car." She sighed. I swallowed a lump in my throat.

"Do you… blame him?" I asked hesitantly.

"For getting me the Hybrid I wanted for my birthday?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. So this Chloe is a little more reasonable, check. "No. I blame the bitch in an SUV who cut me off and sent me into a ditch." She said bitterly.

"Do you want to talk about?" I asked, again, hesitantly.

Chloe shrugged. "What's there to talk about? I flew into a ditch, got a thousand gashes in my legs from the glass that warranted amputation, and the tendons in my left shoulder were torn to shreds." She sighed. "When I woke up in the hospital, I literally couldn't move a muscle. It was a miracle in itself that my right arm still works perfectly." She shook her right hand in the air for emphasis. "Sometimes, I can still feel my legs." She gave a humorless chuckle. "The worst part is when they start itching." She said with grim amusement.

"Fuck, Chloe…" I breathed out. What have I done?

"It's OK, you don't have to say anything." She stopped me before I said anything else. "It could be a lot worse; I could disappear from the face of the earth like that girl from Blackwell." She told me.

"Girl? You mean Rachel Amber?" I asked, confused. Is she still missing here? "Did you ever meet her?" I asked.

"Uh, no. I didn't even know her name until just now. Why?" Chloe asked in confusion.

"Don't worry about it." I told her, waving it off. I suppose it's one less thing for Chloe to worry about right now… I'll let you decide how dark such a train of thought is. "This place feels like a completely different world to when we were children." I told her, standing up.

"With that snow and eclipse, it feels more like the end of the world." Chloe responded.

"Not mention the dead birds and whales." I agreed. I still need to think about that stupid storm. "Chloe, listen, I'm sorry I didn't come by sooner. You're my oldest friend, my closest friend. It was wrong of me to avoid talking to you." I told her, guilt eating away at my heart with every word.

"Well, it's not like I did much more." She responded. "I may be handicapped, but that's no excuse to not initiate contact." She admitted. Well, seems this Chloe is a lot more reasonable than I thought.

"I know things seem out of control…" I started after a moment of silence. "But when I'm with you, I don't feel afraid." I told her sincerely.

"Being here with you makes me feel like a kid again." She returned the sincerity. "You have no idea how great it is to have my best friend back." She told me, smiling happily.

"The feeling is mutual." I smiled back. All of a sudden, a breeze blew by us, making us both shiver. "Maybe we should head back to your house." I suggested.

"You read my mind." She agreed.

"We can stop at Starbucks on the way. I need coffee." I told her. "My treat."

"That sounds awesome." Chloe gave a wistful sigh. I smiled as we walked/rolled back towards my car. Again, I assisted her in getting into the driver's seat, and folded her wheelchair into the back. She seemed ecstatic to experience the wind in her face as I drove the convertible through the town. It's amazing how she can still smile after all she's been through.

* * *

So, after driving past Starbucks to pick up a coffee, I drove Chloe back to the Price Household. Giving William the coffee I'd bought him, which he reheated in the microwave, I assisted Chloe in getting upstairs. William managed to have one of those stairlifts installed for her so that she wouldn't have to move out of her room. She rolls her wheelchair onto a small platform, and the the stairlift elevates the platform, with the wheelchair, up the way of the stairs. It's quite brilliant. Of course, she needed help in getting to and from the bathroom and getting dressed, but William has done his best to make this all as easy as possible for her. He even works two jobs.

Have to give credit where it's due I suppose.

"Wow, nice room." I said as Chloe and I entered her room. It was much tidier than it was when I woke up in it this morning, with blue-haired Chloe. It'd been completely teched out. A TV with several media players, a desk on wheels that rolls over her bed so that she can use her computer, and an intercom that goes directly to the living room or William's room. "A high-tech lair for Captain Bluebeard." I gave her a grin, which she returned. Her old pirate name from when we were kids and used her couch as a pirate ship.

"It feels like a high-tech cell sometimes." She told me honestly. "But, with Dr Doom Silver by my side, I think I can a ship on the horizon." She said with a wide smile. That was my pirate name; inspired by Long John Silver and Chloe's nickname for me; Damon Doom. The 'Dr' bit was added after we watched Fantastic Four for the first time. "I'm lucky my Dad busts his ass to get all this for me. I know it's hard on him, especially without Mom around." She gave a depressed sigh.

"I'm sure he's grateful you're still here Chloe." I assured her. "You're the only thing keeping him going." I added.

"Is it sad that I sometimes act like a total teenage brat, just to give him an excuse to yell at me?" She asked.

"The worst thing anyone can do is treat you like a baby." I quoted her earlier words. "I guess it must feel like you're always being treated like a baby in these conditions. And when William yells at you, it doesn't feel that way." I said thoughtfully. "So, whilst I do think that's a little unreasonable of you, I don't find it sad, no." I told her.

"You sure know how to make a girl feel better." She said dully, making me chuckle sheepishly.

"Sorry." I apologized. "I really need to learn to put a filter on it." I said with a sigh.

"Nah, it's OK. I know you're only trying to help." She told me.

"A bit of a habit that I need to drop." I frowned.

"You sound like an adult now." She said with a nostalgic smile. "It seems like another life since we've been kids." She sighed longingly.

"I know." I smiled at the memories that came to mind. "CD wine tasting, watching power rangers, wrecking the kitchen." I gave a small chuckle.

"Oh, God, Mom was furious!" Chloe laughed. "There was flour everywhere! Even on our parents!" She remembered.

"Mum and William were doing everything they could not to laugh whilst Joyce tore us new ones." I snickered. "It was hilarious." I grinned.

"And so long ago." Chloe smiled brightly, wiping away a small tear. "You're the only person who I grew up with that still visits me." She sighed. "As you can see, I can't keep everyone else away." She snarked. Wow, mood swings much?

"I'm here." I told her firmly, gripping her not-paralyzed hand. "I left you alone for five years with only letters. That was wrong, and I'm going to make this up to you." I promised her.

"Damon, you're not Superman, please don't try to do too much." She pleaded with me.

"I won't, but I'll do what I can." I assured her.

"I appreciate that, more than I can put into words." She responded, squeezing my hand. "Hey, is it too much to ask that you put on a movie?" She asked out of nowhere. "Like when we were kids?" She added in a whisper. I smiled at her.

"What do you want to watch?" I asked, walking over to the shelf where all the DVDs were. I also saw that she had the picture I took of her and William framed on it, which made me smile.

"I think I'm in the mood for Blade Runner." Chloe told me. "I always cry at the end, and you know I've always wanted colored bangs like Pris." She grinned.

"You would look amazing with blue hair." I said, smiling at her as I retrieved the DVD. "And please don't fall asleep. You always do." I said with a tired sigh.

"No promises." She grinned cheekily, making me roll my eyes as I prepped the DVD player. Slipping the disk in, I readied the movie to play.

"Blade Runner, coming right up." i told her, walking over to her.

"Sit in my wheelchair." She told me before I could sit down on the desk chair I'd been using since we arrived in her room. "It's ergonomic; better for long-term sitting." She explained. "Evidently." She added dryly.

"You sure?" I asked hesitantly. Isn't it considered rude to sit in a handicapped individual's wheelchair?

"Damon, it's OK. I'm giving you permission." She assured me. I was still hesitant, but I conceded and sat in the wheelchair at Chloe's right. She wasn't kidding; it is a comfortable chair.

"And, play." I said, using the remote to play.

* * *

As expected, Chloe fell asleep a ways past halfway through the movie. I wasn't surprised; she always falls asleep when we watch movies together. At least, she did when we were kids. This is the first time we've seen a movie together since we were children. Checking my watch, I saw it was 6pm. Chloe and I spent the entire afternoon just hanging out, talking, and watching Blade Runner. It was nice, but… This is not the Chloe I know. Not from the past, or the present. I groaned and massaged my temples. I don't know what to do!

Normally, I'm a very decisive individual. Even as far back as when I was a kid. I enter the candy store, and I automatically know what I want. I open the DVD drawer, I automatically know what I want to watch. My Mum asks me what I want for dinner, I thought about it for a minute at most. But this… This is a much bigger decision. This is a choice that affects the lives of so many people. I was willing to make said choice when I saw happy William and Chloe were five years ago, but now…

My head shot up.

"William…" I whispered. That's it! It's a gamble, and I'll have to reveal everything, but maybe William can help me. My choice made, I stood up, quietly, and slowly stalked towards the door. However, I stopped when I heard Chloe speak.

"Damon?" She asked groggily, still half asleep. "D-Damon?!" She exclaimed, all of a sudden in a panic.

"I'm here." I said quickly, approaching her. "I'm here." I told her, putting my hands on her shoulders. She visibly relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief.

"I thought…" She gulped. "I thought you left me…" She shivered.

"Hey." I snapped, making her look at me. "I am _never _leaving you again, you feel me?" I asked firmly. She smiled slightly, and nodded, clearly happy with what I said. She took a deep breath and let it out calmingly.

"Do you…" She trailed off, suddenly seeming very vulnerable. "Will you… promise me? You'll be here when I wake up?" She asked softly, looking up at me with pleading eyes. Smiling softly, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to her warm cheek.

"I promise." I whispered. She smiled briefly and closed her eyes, ready to fall into a peaceful slumber. Smiling at the sight, I left the room, leaving Chloe to her sleep. It's only 6pm, but I imagine today was a little taxing for her. With a deep breath, I walked down the stares and to the dining room, where I found William working on his bills.

"William?" I called out to him, gaining his attention. "Can we talk?" I asked of him.

"Definitely." he said, pushing the papers aside. "I could use the break." He said as I sat opposite him. "Also, thanks for the coffee, I needed it." He told me.

"Anytime." I smiled. "So, I need to talk about Chloe." I informed him.

"Finally ready to admit your feelings?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, making me blanch.

"Ahem, excuse me?" I asked in bewilderment.

"Damon…" He sighed my name out tiredly. "I have watched you be in love with Chloe since before you knew the difference between boys and girls." he said dryly.

"I, you, she, i mean…" I stammered out, my cheeks darkening. Then what he said really clicked in my mind. "Aw fuck…" I groaned out, burying my face in my hands. This is ridiculous…

"So, that's not what you wanted to talk about, I take it?" He asked, disappointed.

"No…" I let out through gritted teeth.

"Oh, alright then." He sighed in disappointment. "What can do you for?" He asked. I took a deep breath. Here we go.

* * *

I opened my eyes to see William's disappointed face. "Oh, alright then." he sighed in disappointment, again. "What can I do you for?" He asked, again. I narrowed my eyes, and leaned forward.

"In your pocket, you have your wallet, your keys, and your cell phone." I told him, making him raise an eyebrow in confusion. "Your wallet contains thirty eight dollars in cash, your credit and debit cards, a bus card, and a photo of Joyce when she was pregnant with Chloe. Your cellphone has two emails, one from your brother, and one from the hospital. The wallpaper is a picture of Chloe and I as 10 year olds. Your keys have a panda key-chain." I went on, making him look at me with surprise. I gave him a 'go on' gesture, and sat patiently. Looking at me weirdly, he emptied his pockets, and put everything in front of him. His eyes widened as he went through his things, finding everything I said to be true.

"How…" He started, but stopped when I held up a hand.

"You're about to get another email from the hospital, notifying you of Chloe's upcoming checkup." I narrowed my eyes again. "Then, a bird is going to slam into the glass door, my phone will receive a call from my friend Nathan, and Chloe will use the intercom to tell you that she needs help getting to the bathroom." I went on. "She'll tell you to tell me that I didn't break my promise, as she actually hasn't fallen back asleep yet." I added.

William was about to talk again, but his phone bleeped. Hesitantly, he picked up his phone and paled when he saw the email was indeed what I'd predicted it to be. Then, as he put his phone down, a blue-jay slammed into the glass door, startling him, and catching his attention. I've never seen anyone so pale. It didn't help when my phone rang, showing Nathan's name, and the intercom buzzed. Gulping, clearly overwhelmed, he walked over to the intercom and pressed the speak button.

"Chloe?" He asked, his voice thick.

"Hey Dad, do you mind helping me to the bathroom?" Chloe's voice came out of the intercom. "Oh, and tell Damon he didn't break his promise. I haven't actually fallen asleep yet." She told him coyly. I had to smile, even though I already heard it before.

"Uhm, sweetie, can it wait, 15 to 20 minutes?" William asked, clearly shaken. "I'm in the middle of a serious conversation right now." he said.

"Sure, no problem." Chloe responded nonchalantly. "I need to go, but my back teeth ain't floating yet." She told him.

"Good, good…" William breathed out, releasing his hold on the intercom button. He strolled back to the table and fell into his chair, looking at me with wide eyes. "What the hell was that?" He asked in a breath.

"I can rewind time." I told him, looking at him seriously as I held out my hand. "And if that wasn't enough, I can prove it further." I told him. He looked at my hand and shook his head.

"That… won't be necessary." He told me, gulping slightly. I guess I'm not surprised. William has known me since I was a child; he knows I wouldn't make something like this up. Also, he seems to be more satisfied with the proof I showed him already than Chloe was back at Two Whales. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked. I let out a sigh, and buried my face in my hands.

"It's all wrong." I whispered. "I tried to do something good, I tried something I thought would make Chloe happy, but…" My breath hitched. "I made everything worse, and I don't know what to do." I let out a shaky breath.

"Damon, calm down." William whispered soothingly. His voice was always able to do that to both Chloe and myself. "Tell me everything." He instructed. Nodding, I took a calming breath and looked him in the eyes.

"You're not supposed to be here." I finally said, shocking him. "Joyce isn't supposed to be dead, Chloe isn't supposed to be… like _that, _and I'm not supposed to be a cliche High School jock." I gestured to myself. "Do you remember the day Joyce needed a ride from the grocery store, and you couldn't find your keys, so I suggested you take the bus?" I asked.

"Yeah." he nodded. "I later found the keys outside." He looked at me with narrowed eyes. "That was you wasn't it?" He asked. Bowing my head, I nodded. "What happened?" he asked under his breath. "What was supposed to happen?" His voice was thick with dread.

"You died." I choked out, my eyes stinging. "You got T-boned by a drunk trucker." I wiped the tears away before they could fall. "Chloe and I dug up our old time capsule, found your message." I said with a humorless chuckle. "It was about 15 minutes later that Joyce walked in with a Police Officer, crying her eyes out." I held back a sob. "I'd never seen Chloe so distraught." I took in a shuddering breath.

"You saved me…" He whispered in realization. I nodded.

"Without you around, Chloe fell into a pit of despair." I told him. "Expulsion, running away, drugs, tattoos, piercings, bad boys, blue hair, all of the phases." I repeated Joyce's words from the Diner. William's eyes were wide. "And the worst part; she and I didn't talk at all in those five years. Not even a fucking text." I clutched my hair. "It wasn't until Monday, when I used this rewind for the first time, that I saw her again. I saved her from getting shot." William's eyes were wider than I've ever seen before. He was so overwhelmed, but he was keeping his cool. This man was so much stronger than I am.

"If you only had this rewind for two days, how did you save me?" He asked, confused.

"This morning, Chloe and I had an argument." I sighed. "I went to my dorm in Blackwell and just stared at an old photo of us. All of a sudden, I found myself back in that day." I told him.

"You used a photograph to jump back five years?" He asked. I nodded. Despite the situation, he allowed himself an amused chuckle. "That suits you perfectly." He said with a small smile. I allowed the corner of my lips to tug up before his face turned serious. "What about Joyce?" he asked. He almost seemed afraid of the answer.

"She stayed a waitress at the Diner, and got remarried. To David Madsen." I answered.

"David?" William was surprised. "He's a drinking buddy." He explained, seeing my questioning look. "He admitted to having a thing for Joyce a few years back, but he never acted on it because she was married to me." He whispered.

"David and Chloe never got along. She calls him 'Step-douche' and other variants." I said with a small chuckle.

"Again, why are you telling me all this?" He asked. Something tells me that he already knows the answer.

"I don't know what to do." I told him desperately. "Everything is messed up, even this version of me." I gestured to myself. "This is not the person I grew up to be." I said. "This guy is a Grade A asshole! He's bonking with the Queen Bitch of Blackwell, cheating on her with a School reporter AND a Cheerleader, the latter two are best friends by the way, his relationship with Jennifer is horrible, and he's best friends with a fucking Prescott." I put emphasis on the last word. "That's not me." I let out through a breath. "That's not me…" I repeated. "But the alternative…" I trailed off, shaking my head. "I can't do it." I said, desperation oozing out of me.

William didn't say anything. He narrowed his eyes at me before standing up. I didn't know what he was doing, but he walked off towards the TV cabinet, opened one of the drawers and pulled out a photo album, making me pale. He pulled out a single photo, setting it down on the cabinet, before putting the album away. With that done, he came back to the dining table, with the photo in hand, I have a sneaking suspicion of which one it is, and sat opposite me again. Without a word, he slid the photo he held across the table, making me pale as I saw it; the very same photo that Joyce gave me. The very same photo I used to jump back five years in time.

"William, I…" I let out a shaky breath, my words getting stuck in my throat.

"This is not a choice you're making Damon." he told me before I could say anything else. "This is my choice, and if you have any respect for me, for Joyce, then please do this for me." He said firmly.

"But, I-"

"You're not a parent." He cut me off. "Not yet at least. When you are, you'll understand this choice a little better. Until then, I've made my choice. You're just giving it the final push." he assured.

"How can I do that when I know that 'final push' will kill you?" I asked incredulously.

"That doesn't matter Damon." He shook his head. "My life has caused a butterfly effect that messed with so many lives, from what you told me." He looked out the glass door, at the now red sky. Sunset… "As a father, you do everything to keep your family safe. This is not an exception." He looked at me with stern eyes. "Joyce being alive and in love again, Chloe walking and having a real life, you being with Chloe, hell, even David being with Joyce, are all worth the price I have to pay." He said. The look in his eyes, the intensity of his expression, his hard, stern body language… He really means everything he says… Bowing my head in resignation and shame, I nodded. I picked up the photo, ready to do something I know will haunt me for the rest of my life, before I paused.

"William…" I trailed off, looking at him. "I never got to say this, and even if this moment won't technically exist anymore, I need to get it out." I said with a sigh. "You were the closest thing to a father I have ever had." I told him, making his eyes widen. "My father left my mother and I just days after conceiving my sister, and you were there. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but I can never thank you enough for all you did for me in my childhood." I said with tears in my eyes. "Goodbye… Dad." I sniffled, looking at the photo again. In seconds, I had the focus on the photo, I heard the voices, and I saw the bright light, just like last time.

I didn't hear William's response, if he gave one. I'm not sure I wanted to.

* * *

"Someday, Dad'll get one of them newfangled computers."

"Sorry Damon, I hope the flash didn't scare you."

As soon as I regained my bearings, I tuned out the rest of the conversation. I was a huge part of it, so all I did was input what I remember saying in the original course of events until I was no longer needed. Once I was sure everything was going smoothly, I walked over to the glass door and looked outside of it, just staring at the golden light that surrounded us. It reminded me too much of a sunset, and the conversation I had with Wheelchair Chloe on the beach path. That's been ingrained in my memory forever.

I actually fucking froze when I heard the phone go off.

"Hi honey! Just making a wonderful breakfast with CD. I didn't know you were going to get groceries. Of course I can pick you up! I'll be there in 20 minutes. I now have an excuse to get a Mocha. Love you. Sorry kids, gotta go pick up my Queen. She doth have a bag full of delicious grub for us to devour."

"You're ridiculous!"

"You'll be thankful for that someday! Shit, where are my keys?"

"That's a dollar for the swear jar!"

"You mean your college fund!" Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder; William's. "Of course it was intentional." He whispered in my ear, making my pale. "Take care of my girl Damon." He told me, letting go. "I'm headed out, try not to destroy the house. And no CD wine-tasting session."

"Daaaad!"

I didn't hear much else of the conversation, I was too focused on what just happened. I was paler than I think I've ever been, frozen in place. What William just said proves that he remembers everything that happened in the alternative timeline, the one I am erasing from existence right now. He's willingly going to his death to save Joyce and Chloe…

"Oh, he's never leaving me!"

"That makes all of us." William, please stop… This is difficult enough, don't lie to your daughter!

"Hey Damon, you OK? You look like you saw a ghost." Chloe said as she approached me. William was gone…

"That's not too far from the truth…" I whispered under my breath. "Chloe, I want you to know that you are one of the most important things to me in the world." I said to her as I took her hands. "I might not always be there for you, but I swear I'll always be someone you can rely on, someone you can depend on. I'll always have your back." I swore to her.

"Damon, you're scaring me." Chloe said, taking a step back. "You're being really fucking weird right now. What brought this on?" She all but demanded.

I grimaced. "It's a long story, but it'll make sense soon enough, I promise you that." As I finished my sentence, the scene around me began to collapse. If Chloe gave a response, I didn't hear it. I was engulfed with the golden light, my consciousness at least. I can only hope what I just said to Chloe doesn't affect the timeline.

* * *

_Just like last time, I see the image in my minds eye. A picture of Chloe, Joyce, and William shifts into one of Joyce and Chloe in funeral garb, sobbing over William's casket._

_An image of William and Chloe posing happily in a selfie turns into one of Chloe sitting in a forest, a backpack on her back, with her hair short, and her knees tucked to her chest._

_An image of William and Joyce on an anniversary date turns into a wedding picture of Joyce and David._

_An image of young Chloe, happily holding up a car key, turns into one of her and David arguing, both of them leaning over a birthday cake._

_A new image appeared, one that didn't last time. A red truck, the one that William bought for Chloe I'd wager, all banged up and beat. Probably at the crash site. The image turns into one of Chloe, about 17 years old, looking so happy with another person beside her. I can't see the person's face, but she wore a white dress, and her long blonde hair covered her face. Rachel Amber, most likely. The both seem to be really happy._

_Another new image, this one of Chloe in the wheelchair, just sitting in said wheelchair in the middle of her house's lawn, her hair looking recently dyed black. The image shifts into the blue haired punk Chloe that I know standing in the Blackwell bathroom, with Nathan on the ground._

_Finally, and image of Wheelchair Chloe and Quarterback Me, sitting in her teched-out bedroom, watching Blade Runner, shifts into a picture of me, the real me, laying on the bed in my real Blackwell dorm, a scowl on my face as I looked at my cell phone. Chloe was calling or texting, and I had my earphones in._

_And just like last time, there was a bright flash of light in my mind's eye as I woke up._

* * *

**And there we have it. The first chapter of Dark Room. Like last chapter, a shout-out to anime-death-angel for the idea of Joyce's death and Chloe's different handicap. I think that really put a different spin on the story than the game. Here, Chloe still has one arm working. She can feel everything in her body, except her arm, and her respiratory system isn't deteriorating, so she wouldn't cost William so much money, and she wouldn't feel the need to have Damon end her life.**

**Also, you'll notice that unlike in the game, Damon didn't spend the night in the Alternate Timeline. Like I said before, he's quick to think, and quicker to act. He knew something needed to be done, but he wasn't certain what the right thing to do was, so he consulted William. What did you guys think of that, huh? And the whole thing with William remembering? I thought it would be a nice touch. Truth be told, I'm surprised I fit the entire trip to the Alternate Timeline in one chapter. **

**Anywho, please tell me what ya'll think about the diversion from canon! Also, just to get you all riled up, there's going to be some explicit content next chapter. :P **

**Ciao!**


	12. Dark Room - Part 2

**WARNING! WARNING! EXPLICIT CONTENT AHEAD! LEMON ALERT! ALL HANDS TO SMUT STATIONS!**

* * *

"_You shoot me down, but I won't fall. I am Titanium!" _The music blasted in my ears as I opened my eyes. Immediately them pulled out a frantically locked around my dorm. It was indeed the dorm I knew. Rachel's jacket and button up shirt were both hanging off of my desk chair, and I had apparently replaced them with a simple, plain red T-shirt and a black jacket. My wolf shirt and leather jacket are still at Chloe's, I think. Taking a deep breath, I walked over to my desk and pulled out the drawer. In said drawer, was a small pill box; my anxiety medication. I immediately pulled out two of the pills and swallowed them with some water.

I let out a sigh and fell into my bed, letting the pills do their work. It took a little bit of time, but I eventually felt their calming effect washing over me, slowly but surely. I really needed it after what just happened. I just watched William go straight to his death, willingly, I might add. Somehow, he remembered everything after I jumped back in time. Was it because he was about to die? Because his time was ending? Will Chloe remember being in a wheelchair? If she doesn't, I don't know if I could tell her.

A bleep from my cell phone caught my attention. It was a text from, guess who, Chloe. One of many these past few hours, apparently.

**Chloe: hey man  
Chloe: I suck again  
Chloe: sorry I got in your face and took my bullshit rage out on my best friend  
Chloe: you didn't deserve that  
Chloe: damon  
Chloe: you there  
Chloe: please answer  
Chloe: youre scaring me  
Chloe: please  
Chloe: i can't handle this  
Chloe: i can't be alone again  
Chloe: please don't do this to me**

Wow. She seems quite distraught. I had to feel a little guilty. I mean, I intentionally ignored her. I just spent the past eight or nine hours in an alternate reality. It seems that whatever time I spend in different realities like that ends up getting spent even if I fix things. Still, I did exist in the time in between the two jumps, even if I wasn't aware of it. That means, on some level, I purposely didn't respond to her texts. Christ, it feels like so long ago that Chloe and I had that argument in her truck. I can't even bring myself to be mad anymore.

With a sigh, I finally responded to her.

**Damon: Come to my dorm.  
Damon: Room 112  
Chloe: on my way**

She responded immediately. I prepared myself for the conversation to come. I might not be mad anymore, but Chloe and I do need to set things straight here. There are a few things she and I need to get out in the open. I need her to realize that I wasn't living it up in London either, and that I went through a lot of shit as well during my Hellraising phase. That I lost just as much as she did five years ago.

* * *

I heard the knocking over my music. Bon Jovi's _Livin on a Prayer _was playing when Chloe arrived. As soon as I heard the knocking, I switched off the music and sighed, getting up. Unlocking the door, I opened it, finding my oldest friend on the other side. It was such a relief to see the punk, blue haired Chloe again. I wanted nothing more than to hug her, but I held myself back. We're about to have a serious conversation. Her eyes were bloodshot, as if she'd been crying. Without a word, I stepped aside and allowed her to walk in, closing the door behind her, and locking it, as per my usual habit.

"Damon, I…" Chloe started, but stopped when I held up a hand.

"You can't go on like this Chloe." I told her, sternly and simply. "I understand the desire to blame others, more than you realize, I understand." I sighed. "But there comes a time where you have to forget about pinning blame on anyone, or anything, and just move forward with your problems." I said.

"God, you sound like Mom." She gave a shake of her head. "She said the exact same thing." So she spoke to Joyce. That's good.

"She's right." I pressed. "And whilst I can understand that the past five years have been hell for you, I need you to realize that they weren't all that great for me either." I said with a sigh. "I was treated like an outcast in England because I raised here in America, you had your Angel in the form of Rachel, mine was my Sensei." I recalled the first lessons with her. "Though our relationship was much more professional." I added.

"I get it D, you suffered too. It's just… hard." Chloe sniffled, wiping her nose with the back of her hand.

"Did I ever tell you what happened to my father?" I asked her out of nowhere. "Did Joyce?"

"Uh, no." She responded, unsure. "I think you once said he was dead." She recalled.

"I lied." I revealed, shocking her. "My father abandoned my mother and I when I was five years old." I explained. Chloe's eyes were wide with shock. "He left us to be with a teenage whore that was barely 16 years old. And what was worse, is that he knocked Mum up with Jenny just two days prior to leaving." I went on. She was pale, beyond what I thought possible from her. "So when you ask if I know what it's like to watch my father walk out the front door and not know he's never coming back, I can say with full certainty that yes, I do know what that's like." I spat, though not necessarily at Chloe. "The only difference here, is that William _loved _you." It seems I carry a bit more anger towards my old man than I initially thought.

"Damon, I…. I'm so sorry, I… I never knew…" Chloe choked out, her eyes slick with tears.

"And that's not all." I sighed, turning away from her, one hand massaging my temple. "After that day, William was the only male role model I had in my life. Mum didn't date for years." I shook my head, turning back to face Chloe. "But William was the one who taught me how to drive, he was the one who took me to my first photography gallery, he was the one who bought me my first camera. Even though it doesn't work anymore, I still have it." I wiped away a few tears that threatened to fall. "I know how much William meant to you, but you weren't the only one who lost a father that day." I finally whispered. Chloe's eyes were wider than dinner plates.

She didn't say anything. She just stepped towards me and wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. She finally allowed her tears to fall as I hugged her back, my own tears pouring. This is just like when we were kids. We weren't always on the same page. Sometimes we would yell at each other and not talk for days, but we always ended up apologizing and hugging it out. Sometimes crying would ensue, like this particular instance. We stood in place for several moments before separating her head from my shoulder. We still held each other.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, sniffling. "I never knew. You'd think after being best friends for 14 years, I'd see how you interact with my father." She bowed her head in shame. "I am such an idiot." She sighed self-deprecatingly.

"Hey." I said, hook one finger under her chin and making her look at me. "You were a child back then." I told her firmly. "And in many ways, you still are." She made to respond, but I stopped her. "Don't deny it." I told her. "We may have grown significantly since our days Captain Bluebeard and Dr Doom Silver." The nostalgic smile on Chloe's face made my heart flutter. "But neither of us are all the way there yet." I told her, reaching for her left hand and squeezing. I think my subconscious still saw the paralyzed arm there. "Besides all that..." I spoke up after a moment of silence. "I owe you an apology too. I shouldn't have ignored your texts for so long." I told her.

She gave a slight smile and brought her hands down to mine. "I can forgive you if you forgive me?" She offered halfheartedly, making me laugh.

"Deal." I said, hugging her again. She took in a deep sigh and let it out as she held me tight as I held her. As we separated, she took a moment to unwind and sit down on my bed, calming herself down. I took this moment to really look at her.

She really was beautiful. A pretty face, beautiful blue eyes that outshone her blue hair several times over, though not to say the blue hair wasn't pretty at all. Her skin was pale and smooth, and it looked so soft. Part of me wanted to rub my face against every square centimeter of her body. Her legs were long and toned, to say nothing about her enticing hips. She truly was one of the most beautiful women I'd ever seen…

Damn, William was right, wasn't he?

"This has to stop." I said out of nowhere, pacing around my dorm room. Chloe was still sitting on my bed, her arms crossed, looking up at me with a frown. The apologies and the opening up were nice and all, but I think she and I need to get some things out right now.

"What do you mean?" She asked, confused.

"Chloe, I'm glad we made up, but I realized something." I said with a sigh, looking at her. Sighing again, I grabbed my desk chair and slumped into it. "I think today proves that in the past five years have changed us more than we realize." I told her, making her pause to think. "We can't have the same relationship we had when we were tweens." I massaged my temples.

"What are you saying?" She asked, a small hint of fear in her voice as I stood up and turned to look out of the window. She too stood up.

A moment of silence passed between us, and I took the time to really think. It was really just a moment, but so many thoughts ran through my head in that time. Seeing Chloe get shot by Nathan, almost get hit by a train, shoot herself, and her state in the alternative timeline have all hit me really hard. Not to mention the conversation I had with William. It really was only a minute or so that I thought about this just now, but that was all it took for me to see what was hanging right in front of my face all this time; the feelings I've been holding all these years. My feelings for Chloe.

Thanks William. I owe you one.

With a deep breath, I turned and faced her. "We've grown up Chloe, and our friendship has to as well." I told her, surprising her with the seriousness in my tone. "I know what I want." I said, stepping forward until we were only a few centimeters away. "The question is, what do you want?" I asked, calmly and simply.

She didn't answer immediately, taking the time to choose her words.

"Ever since I met Rachel, I had all these plans in my head for my future, and for the longest time, none of them involved you." She finally said, looking right into my eyes.

"I see." I said, pain sliding it's way into my chest. So that's it.

"No, you don't." She said, snapping my attention back to her. "Ever since my Dad died, it's just one loss after another. You left, my Mom prefers spending time with David, and Rachel was spreading her legs for Frank!" Tears were welling up in her eyes again. "I don't want to feel let down and abandoned anymore, I don't want to be alone! So if you promise me that you will never leave me behind again, that you won't die on me, and that you will never abandon me for someone else, then yes, I will say it." She said, looking at me with intense seriousness. "I will tell you what I want." She told me, her teary eyes boring into my own.

I narrowed my eyes seriously. A moment of silence, again. "I will never leave you alone." I told her, taking a step towards her. "I will never abandon you. I will never choose someone else over you, and I will make sure that, even if it's only one day, I will outlive you." I said seriously, our noses almost touching. "I promise." I whispered.

Chloe stared right into my eyes, as if judging whether or not I was telling the truth. Apparently, she decided I was, judging by what happened next. She leaned forward, our lips almost touching.

"Good." She whispered, pressing her lips against mine softly. I responded gently, placing my hands on her waist as she brought hers to my shoulders. The kiss was soft, gentle, and a quite bit longer than the one in her room earlier. Honestly, it was only earlier today, but it feels like a lifetime ago that Chloe dared me to kiss her in her room. It's easy to forget that we only reunited a little more than two days ago. As we separated, we looked into each other's eyes, smiling softly. Within seconds however, our soft smiles turned into wide, happy grins.

No words needed to be spoke. We both knew what we wanted, and our eyes portrayed that to the other. There was nothing stopping us. Desire burned in my chest as she kissed me again, this time more deeply, more passionate. With a faint growl emanating from my throat, I rushed forward, pushing her against the closed door; a rough action that she did not oppose to as she removed my jacket from me.

* * *

**EXPLICIT CONTENT AHEAD**

* * *

Refusing to let my lips leave hers, I grabbed her beanie and tossed it back. It landed on my laptop as I started working on Chloe's jacket. I made quick work of that. Her tank top was large, and rather baggy on her, so it was easy to slip it down past her shoulders, not unlike a dress. She pushed forward slightly, off of the wall so that her shirt could fall down past her waist and onto the ground. As it did, she grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled up. We separated, begrudgingly, so that my shirt could come off.

As I opened my eyes to see her, I saw that all she had on was her bra and jeans. Somehow, she had removed her boots and socks in the midst of our passionate liplock. All I had on was my own jeans; I hadn't been wearing any shoes or socks when Chloe arrived. Looking directly into my eyes, she reached behind herself and unhooked her bra, removing it, and throwing it to the side. Her breasts weren't big at all, but that didn't hinder her sex appeal at all. She was lithe, smooth, beautiful.

She was mine.

And her nipple piercings were sexy as hell.

After staring at each other for a moment, Chloe stepped forward and locked lips with me once more, jumping up and wrapping her legs around me. I held her up by her ass cheeks. She might not have much in the bust area, but her thighs and ass were quite well developed. Her ass was just so soft and juicy. I think you might have guessed by now that I consider myself an ass man.

As I sat down on my bed, Chloe untangled her legs from around me so as to straddle my hips. I didn't let go of her ass though. As I pulled back, I latched my teeth on one of her nipples. I heard her breath hitch as I nibbled on her nipple, the metal of her piercing putting a slight metal taste in my mouth. Oddly enough, I didn't mind. Chloe hugged my head to her chest as I switched to the other nipple, using my hands to bring her jeans down. Refusing to let me separate from her chest, she helped me in getting them off of her, shuddering slightly, but noticeably, as I caressed her soft, now bare, thighs.

All she had on now was a pair of black panties, with a blue butterfly on the front(I ignored that little coincidence in favor of my current activities.) I could feel a slightly damp spot as she ground her crotch into mine.

Lust taking me over, I grabbed her by her shoulders and flipped us around, maneuvering so that she ended up resting her head on my pillow. I stared into her eyes, seeing her face flushed with lust as my own, before lowering myself to her neck, kissing her there softly, earning shuddering gasps. As I continued to nuzzle her neck, I used my left hand to tweak her nipple softly, whilst I used my right hand to softly caress her lower lips through her panties with my middle finger, earning another hitch of her breath.

As I pressed my lips to hers again, I teasingly laid my hand on her inner thigh, slowly sliding it up. She whined into the kiss as I eased my hand under her panties from the side. I reveled in her moans as I slightly teased her lower lips with my fingers, having pushed her panties to the side. She dug her nails into my shoulders, begging me to go on. I obliged, without so much as a warning, as I pushed my middle finger into her slit. She was completely smooth shaven down there.

She shivered as I slid my finger back and forth within her, rubbing and prodding at her warm, wet insides without mercy. She rolled her hips slightly in response to my hand as I used my free hand to cup her cheek, deepening the kiss as we continued our heavy petting. As I tangled my fingers in her hair, I continued to play with her pussy, her sensual moans driving me crazy as I added my ring finger into the mix. She apparently enjoyed the extra digit, judging by how her walls seemed to wrap tightly around them a moment after. As I hit a certain spot, she jerked back with a gasp as I smirked mischievously.

Giving her one more kiss on her lips, lingering for a moment, I moved downwards, causing her to remove her hands from my shoulders as I situated my body between her thighs. I planted small kisses on her thighs as I slowly slid her panties down. She adjusted her legs to assist me, her face flushed with desire and a little embarrassment. Smirking, I leaned forward and planted a small, gentle kiss on her clit, making her breath hitch again. Continuing, I softly prodded her lower lips with my tongue. Shuddering as I did so, Chloe locked her hands in my hair, gently pulling on it. As I reveled in Chloe's moans and mewls, I rubbed and licked her clit, adding my finger back into the equation. She moaned at the sensation, her fingers digging into my scalp.

Throwing all caution to the wind, I slid my tongue right into her and began to vigorously lap up at her inner walls, relishing her taste. Her breath sped up and her back arched as I licked her, teasing her ruthlessly with my finger in search of her sweet spot. Her musical moans of 'more' egged me on further as she gripped my hair tightly. Her body froze for a split second as I brushed against a particular spot with my finger. Smirking triumphantly, I removed my finger and dove in deep with my tongue, attacking her sweet spot.

Chloe gasped out loud, her eyes widening as she bit her lip hard. Her walls tightened around my tongue as I continued my ministrations, attacking her sweet spots with vigor and hunger. She came with a cry, cumming in my mouth as I eagerly lapped up every drop of her release. She tasted so damn good. I continued to eat her out even as she rode out her orgasm, getting softer and gentler with each passing second. As her enter body slumped into the bed, I slowly pulled back, licking my lips with a smirk as I slid up, turning her head to face me. The second her eyes met my own, a fire returned to them, and she kissed me with passion, our tongues writhing together, rather than fighting for dominance.

"You taste amazing." I smirked teasingly, earning a cute darkening of her cheeks, though she smirked back.

"I know." She responded, kissing me once more. "Never had a guy do that for me." she said, surprising me. Neither of us were virgins, that much I knew, but I would have thought someone would have done that for her.

"What about girls?" I asked with an amused smile.

"Duh." She shot back, kissing me once again, wrapping her arms around my neck. "Fuck me." She whispered breathlessly as we separated. Who was I to deny such a request?

Having already unbuttoned my jeans, I slid them them down along with my underwear, allowing my now painful erection to breath. Her eyes honed in on my manhood and widened slightly before giving me a naughty grin. I wasn't hung like a horse as one usually sees in erotic fan-fictions and porn, but I did have decent size and girth. I was honestly a little proud at the aforementioned widening of her eyes, momentary as it was. Kissing her softly, I lined myself up with her wet pussy, and slowly slipped inside her.

She let out a ragged breath coupled with a whine as I fully sheathed myself inside her. By her reaction, I'd say it's been a good long while for her, as it has for me. I had to hold myself still for a moment to stop from blowing right then and there. She was that tight. Combine that tightness with the smooth wetness of her insides, it was a blissful feeling. As I pulled back and started nuzzling at her neck, I placed a hand on her hip and started to slowly slide out of her, before thrusting back in. A loud, throaty moan escaped her.

I wasn't worried about other people hearing us. Several times this month, other male students have brought girls into their dorm rooms and not bothered being quiet. No one would be too rattled about what was happening between Chloe and I right now.

As I kept one hand on her waist, and another groping her ass, I slowly began to pick up speed, feeling her rock her hips in tandem with mine. She pulled my head back and locked her lips with mine, moaning into the kiss as we reveled in our fornication. The sensual moans she released and the tightness of her pussy around me only fueled the fire within me. I pulled back from the kiss and sat up, refusing to slow down in my thrusts. Regarding her with a half-lidded gaze, I continued to pound her, the sounds she made sending me to new heights of desire.

"Fuck, more!" Chloe let out through ragged breaths. "Harder, faster!" She bit her lip as she begged, her hands gripping the sheets of my bed tightly as her walls squeezed me harder. I could only oblige. "Fuck me!" She cried out as a faint growl escaped my throat. I slammed into her like freight train with all of my strength, her walls squeezing as if not wanting to let go. Her back arched as I leaned forward, our hands joining, fingers intertwining, and our eyes locked in each other.

As I felt my limit nearing, I started driving my length into her deep as I could, fast as I could. She whined into my mouth as I kiss her fully, my tongue massaging her own. She seemed to get the message, wrapping her arms around my neck, and her endowed legs around my waist. I wanted to protest, to tell her to let me go so I could pull out, but the lust, the want, the _need, _that I felt was just too much.

Chloe suddenly jerked up against me, her entire body locking up as she climaxed, screaming into our kiss. Her walls tightened beyond measure, immediately setting off my own orgasm. I pushed as much of my length into her as I could, filling her up with my cum. We held our position for but a few moments after our lips separated, staring at each other as we basked the high of our orgasmic pleasure. Afterwards, however, our bodies gave out, and we fell limp. My head rested on Chloe's modest, but soft, bust. We both breathed heavily as we basked in the afterglow.

A few moments passed before we regained some strength. I was still inside her, somehow still hard, as our eyes locked again. I was about to say something, I don't really remember what, but before I could, I saw something that caught me by surprise. Chloe's eyes; it was like a fire had been lit inside of them. All of a sudden, she pushed me up by my chest and flipped our positions, surprising me with her strength. I was then on my back, my head resting on my pillow, with Chloe straddling my lap, my cock still inside of her.

Without a word, she started bouncing up and down on me with passion.

I let out a faint moan as she did her work. She was being very rough with me right now, maybe more so than I was with her. The way her hands pushed down on my chest so hard, it was as if she was telling me not to move at all. She slammed down onto me, moaning out loud as we enjoyed each other. As I closed my eyes, I reached around and squeezed her ass cheeks, something she did not oppose to, and helped guide her hips up and down on top of me.

This carried on for an unknown amount of time. Eventually, however, I felt something wet touch my cheek. Opening my silver eyes, I saw Chloe's own blue orbs slick with emotional tears, running down her cheeks, and falling onto my face.

"Chloe…" I whispered, my voice full of emotion. Reaching up, I cupped her wet cheeks and pulled her face down on my own, giving her a soft kiss. She didn't let up with her hips as I did so though. Our second little session didn't last nearly as long as the first. As I felt my limit nearing yet again, Chloe slammed down on me really hard one more time. At that moment, we both released.

I shot more of my cum deep into her womb, and her love juice oozed out onto my lap. I didn't care though. We both went limp yet again, Chloe's head resting on my chest this time. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her to my chest tightly, before she looked up at me. Our lips connected in a soft, ironically chaste, kiss. As we separated, she gave me a smile that made my heart flutter.

* * *

**EXPLICIT CONTENT END**

* * *

"I love you." I whispered to her, the words escaping me without my permission, making her eyes widen. Strange thing is, I meant it. Even back when we were tweens, playing pirates and sneaking her parents' wine, I loved the girl, the _woman, _I'd just had sex with. She was everything to me. Why it took me almost 20 years to realize it, I have no idea.

Eyes welling up, Chloe looked at me with the happiest smile I've ever seen from her. "I love you too." She said, kissing me softly again. This kiss was different to every other we had thus far. It was not passionate and sexy, nor soft and chaste. It was warm, and full of emotion. As we separated, she lay her head on my chest once more as I brought the blanket up to cover us. "I'm sorry…" She mumbled, nuzzling my chest.

"For what?" I asked, holding her close.

"Crying like a big fat virgin in bed…" She murmured. I could see her cheeks gaining a little color, making me grin in amusement.

"Don't apologize." I told her, tightening my hold on her briefly. "Don't be afraid to show your feelings to me." I whispered in her ear, making her shudder slightly. I had to give a small grin.

"Ass…" She mumbled cutely as I brought the blanket over our naked forms.

"I do consider myself an ass-man." I smirked at her, groping her ass under the sheets.

"I noticed." Chloe responded dryly, making me snicker as she laid her head on my chest, nuzzling me gently. We both took a moment to just enjoy holding each other. It was a soft, calm, peaceful bliss. "I still want to find Rachel." She finally whispered.

"I know." I responded simply. I wasn't surprised.

"I don't know what to do." She told me honestly. "I'm with you, but I miss her, and I…" She trailed off, not knowing how to continue.

"I won't stop." I told her, making her look up at me with wide eyes. "Just promise me that I'm the only you'll be with." I said. What? She likes girls too. Who am I to deny her what her body craves? "If you promise that I'm the only man you're with, I don't mind if you go as wild as you want with the ladies." I told her with a soft smile.

"You mean it?" She asked, shocked and elated.

"I do." I gave her a single nod. She smiled brightly and kissed me again, with a lot of raw passion. Things quickly became more heated, especially when she started stroking me until I was hard again.

"I never did return the favor." She said with a smirk. I was going to ask what she meant, but I got my answer when she went down under the blanket and started doing something with her mouth that felt really, _really _good.

"Oh dear God." I breathed out as she worked her mouth. I think this is just the start of a really wild and really great relationship. The fact that it's with Chloe only makes it better.

* * *

**OK, how awesome was this chapter? It was great, right? Emotional, game-changing, and just plain hot. I must admit, the only reason this chapter is out so soon, is because I already wrote the lemon beforehand. Seriously, I finished the lemon back when I was still in the middle of writing Episode 2. I guess it's true what they say about finding the right ending and having the story basically write itself. **

**Anyways, please tell me what ya'll think about the chapter. Not just the lemon, but also the emotional connection that's established, and the turmoil that our heroes felt here. This development in their relationship has been a long time coming, and neither of them knew it. Also, there is one particular bit that was inspired by a show that I used to watch. Shoutout to anyone who can figure out which bit and what it's inspired by!**

**Please review!**


	13. Dark Room - Part 3

"Wow…" Chloe panted, resting her head on my bicep as we spooned.

"I'm certainly not going to get tired of hearing that." I grinned through my own panting. Chloe only purred in response, nuzzling my shoulder and pressing herself closer to me. We both sighed in content, basking in the afterglow. "We should probably get going." I spoke after a few moments of silence.

"We probably should." She agreed, letting out a yawn. "Or, we can sleep here, and continue our investigation in the morning." She suggested. Though, it seemed more like she'd already decided what she wanted to do, given that she cuddled up closer to me, closing her eyes comfortably. I had to smile.

"That works too." I whispered, kissing her forehead. As I closed my eyes, and slowly fell into my slumber, I gave thought to where Chloe and I were headed from here.

There's no doubt in my mind that I am hopelessly in love with this girl. Like William said back in the alternate timeline, I've been in love with her since before I knew the difference between boys and girls. She was the biggest, and the best part of my childhood, and when we had to part, it hurt in ways I can't even begin to describe. Then, each time she almost died, it was as if a part of me almost went with her. I think seeing her with her legs amputated and arm paralyzed was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.

Seeing her like that, with no fire or passion in her eyes, so depressed and sad, so broken, it really hit me hard. In the alternate reality, she lacked all of the features that I loved about her. She was practically ready to die, just waiting for it to happen. And when she was afraid I'd abandoned her… Yeah, I think I've made my point.

Some might say that we're moving too fast, having sex and admitting we love each other, only two days after reuniting, but we literally grew up together. Scarcely did we not see each other for the first 14 years of our lives. We've both changed and grown up a lot in our time apart, but our core, we're still the same. We know each other inside and out, literally in some ways. When you know someone that well, is it really that much of a stretch to think you can be in love with that person?

* * *

I was awakened to the sound of knocking on my door. It was hard, fast, and no doubt the actions of a very annoyed person. Groaning, I carefully squeezed out of Chloe's grip and off of the bed. Hurriedly, whilst the knocking was still going on, I put my clothes on. The first ones I saw in my closet; a simple pair of red boxers, another pair of black jeans, and a black button up shirt. Sighing, I opened the door to see who it was.

"About time." Victoria Chase spat, crossing her arms. The scowl on her face was contagious. Her nose was looking better, though by a very thin margin. It was still clear that she had her nose broken. The bruising over her eye had also gone down slightly. She was healing, but not by much thus far, given that the injury was inflicted around 36 hours ago. I'd hoped she'd back off after seeing how far I was willing to go, but clearly she's incapable of taking a hint.

"What do you want?" I asked, sneering. This girl's mere presence is enough to piss me off now. I hate that she affects me like this.

"To remind you that there are others who sleep in this dorm." She growled, her face red with anger. And is that a hint of envy in her eyes? "Next time you have porn all-nighter, use your headphones, pervert!" She hissed. Any reason to bug me, huh?

"He wasn't watching porn." Chloe suddenly made herself known, walking up behind me, using the blanket to cover herself with one arm, and wrapping the other around my neck. She planted a hard, quick, and loud kiss on my lips as she pulled me towards her.

"Price?" Victoria exclaimed, outraged. That hint of envy was now a full on green-eyed monster. "Are you fucking kidding me?!" She all but demanded of me.

"What can I say?" I asked with a shrug. "I have a type." I said, making Chloe grin. A full on, shit-eating, _smug _grin. Victoria could only splutter and snarl. She let out an enraged cry before stomping off upstairs.

"_Damn, _bitch wants you bad." Chloe said with a teasing grin as she let go of me, allowing the blanket to fall so that she could get dressed. I will admit to staring. She's my girlfriend now, so I don't think she'll have an issue.

"The feeling's not mutual, I assure you." I said as she purposely bent over to get her panties, probably to get me to stare at her ass.

"I don't know." She smirked as she slipped the garment on. "I might enjoy watching you dominate a bitch." She purred as she reached for her bra.

"We've barely been together for 12 hours, let's not think that far ahead just yet." I suggested dryly as I sat down on the bed. She was still swaying her hips in a manner that made me stare. Dammit, she's going to be the end of me.

"So it could happen~" She cooed, making me roll my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah." I sighed, clicking my back with a slightly pained groan.

"Ha! I know how you feel." She grinned at me as she pulled her jeans on. "My legs are hurting like you wouldn't believe." She gave a mix of a laugh and a groan.

"Then my job is done." I said, smirking as I walked up behind her. I delivered a swift swat to her rear before grabbing a pair of socks from the drawer. Chloe yelped at the contact, not expecting.

"What the hell was that for?" She demanded, though her face didn't portray any anger. She was amused, and clearly thinking naughty things if the glint in her eye was any indication.

"Flaunting a delicious looking peach around and not expecting me to take a bite." I smirked cheekily, wrapping my arms around her waist.

"Eat me." She retorted, bringing her arms around my neck.

"I did, last night, several times." I gave a grin, which she returned. We locked lips in a soft and sensual kiss, holding each other tightly. As we pulled back, we sighed happily in unison. "It's weird how… right, this feels…" I whispered.

"So hella right." Chloe agreed, smiling brighter than I've seen her smile since I've been back. "We didn't know it, but I think this…" She gestured between us. "Has been a long time coming." She told me, pecking my lips again and pulling back. Still wearing only her jeans and bra, she picked up her shirt and slipped it on.

"I couldn't agree more." I agreed as she, rather than slip on her own jacket, grabbed my jacket, the black one, that I wore last night after discarding Rachel's jacket, and slipped it one, leaving the zip open, and the hood up. She hugged it to her body and inhaled deeply through her nose.

"Nothing better than wearing your boyfriend's hoodie when it smells like his cologne." She said with a content sigh. I had to smile brightly. To hear her say openly that I am her boyfriend like that just fills me with this joy. Shit, I wonder how Joyce is gonna react?

"We should get going." I said, grabbing my favorite black biker jacket, with two red vertical stripes, one on either side, and donning it. It even had a hood. "To the Shit-mobile?" I asked, a teasing grin on my face.

"Hey, it may be a piece of shit, but it's my piece of shit." She shot back, glaring playfully. Suddenly, her expression turned to a rather sheepish one. "Even if I did use the last of my gas to here." She chuckled sheepishly.

"To the Brit-mobile then." I concluded. She rolled her eyes and flipped me the bird once more before she slipped her boots back on. As for me, instead of my usual walking shoes, I opted to go with a pair of boots that I had packed. They went better with the biker jacket anyway.

God, I sound like a girl!

Well, nothing wrong with a guy wanting to look good with his lady next to him, is there?

"Shall we?" I asked as we both retrieved all our stuff. I had everything in my laptop bag, which I take everywhere.

"We shall." Chloe said, smiling at me as I opened the door and held it for her, after feeding Hook and Alice that is. "An excuse to look at my ass while I walk in front of you?" She asked with a grin sashaying through the door.

"Maybe." I responded, letting my eyes wander over her entire form. We walked towards the parking in silence together, our arms interlocked, and her head leaning against my shoulder. We didn't care who saw, nor did we care about their reactions, though some were rather funny. Juliet was grinning like maniac, probably thinking about a new scoop, Brooke looked incredibly hurt, though she hid it well, Victoria, whom we saw in the distance, looked absolutely outraged, and Dana was nodding in approval. Chloe and I didn't react though. We simply continued on our way towards my car.

As we entered the vehicle, and drove of towards the her house, I turned the radio on. What would come on except a song we both know so well. Obstacles, by Syd Matters. "Wow…" I chuckled, looking over at Chloe, who was also smiling. "Remember our song?" I asked her.

"It's like this whole thing was set up for us from the beginning." She whispered, humming along with the song. I couldn't help smiling. She may actually be right about that. I mean, the song coming on at just the right time, me saving her from Nathan, the way our bodies just fit together perfectly when we hug, and the _compatibility _of our bodies that we discovered after our night of bliss… It's like we were made for each other.

This… is just perfect.

* * *

After stopping by a store to stock up on snacks, cigarettes, and coffee, Chloe and I headed back to her house. We brought an old mural that we drew when we were kids to her room and used it as an investigation board, pinning up everything we had that could amount to a lead to where Rachel is. Admittedly, it wasn't much, but it was a start. We spent a few hours speculating, researching, and having a few 'nookie breaks,' as Chloe liked to call them, I recalled something.

"Hey!" I gasped, reaching into my laptop bag and pulling out a flash drive.

"What's that?" Chloe asked curiously.

"When I was rummaging through David's computer, I found a treasure chest of files and information. I only just remembered." I told her, plugging the drive in.

"Seriously?" She asked in exasperation. "We've been getting nowhere for hours, and only now do you remember this?" She groaned, massaging her temples.

"Hey, my photographic memory isn't perfect you know." I shot back, smirking. "Besides, my attention was otherwise occupied." I grinned at her.

"Yeah, I know." She responded dryly, groaning. "My thighs still hurt." She sighed, running a hand along her ass as she stood up. "Not to mention, you left a hickey on my _ass._" She fake glared at me.

"A calling card. A 'Damon was here' if you will." I shrugged, smirking at her. "You liked it though." I returned, rummaging through the files.

"I will neither confirm nor deny that."

"Plus, you left a string of hickeys on my neck, a big one on my chest, and one on my jaw." I reminded her. "I think we're even."

"Fair enough." She surrendered.

"Jackpot!" I whooped out of nowhere. "Maps, notes, co-ordinates, and photos of Kate, Nathan, and Rachel." I grinned. "This is a very good start. Say what you will about David, but he's very good at this surveillance thing." I told her. "But we'll need more."

"Frank and Nathan are a good place to start." Chloe suggested, and hand on her chin.  
"We know they were both involved with Rachel one way or another, and we have the cash to pay off Frank." She reminded. "Might loosen his lips a little."

"Agreed." I said as I got up. "But before that, I do want to go visit Kate. I did promise her." I said, putting my boots on.

"That's all good. You're driving anyway." She said, grabbing her beanie. As we left her room, and went down the stairs, we were greeted to the sight of Joyce, in casual clothing, having not gone to the Diner today, who looked at us for a moment, before something weird happened. She threw her head back and laughed like a maniac.

"Oh, this is just perfect!" She howled with laughter, seeming more triumphant and delighted than actually amused. "Klare owes me 200 dollars!" She whooped in laughter, looking at us with a grin as it died down.

"What?" Chloe and I asked in dumb unison.

"When the two of you first started puberty, William, Klare, and myself made a small betting pool on when you two would finally get together." She grinned widely. "William had before 18, I had before 20, and Klare had after 20. Winner gets 200 dollars." She said giddily, though I don't think it's because of the money. "All these years, I've been dreading the day you'd get knocked up by a meth-head biker named Travis." Joyce wiped away a happy tear, ignoring Chloe's indignant shout. "But now, my baby's with a good man!" She cheered, engulfing me in a bear hug.

"Joyce! Air!" I croaked out. She pulled back and planted a hard kiss on my cheek before letting me go.

"How did you even know?" Chloe asked her mother incredulously.

"Chloe, I'm your mother, I know everything." Joyce suddenly grinned. "Also, you both have visible hickeys, and you're limping Chloe." She snickered at our red faces. "Welcome to the family Damon, officially." She hugged me one more time before skipping up the stairs. She was actually skipping like a little girl who was delighted to hear that she was getting what she wanted for her 5th birthday or something.

"That was…" I trailed off, not sure what to say.

"Trippy?" Chloe suggested, just as weirded out as I was.

"Not quite strong enough, but OK." I responded, slapping my cheeks to snap myself out of my daze. Chloe did the same. "Let's just pretend that never happened and head over to the hospital." I suggested.

"Yes, good idea." Chloe agreed quickly. I'm not quite sure who got to the car first.

* * *

Chloe and I spent the drive to the hospital in a comfortable silence, avoiding thinking, let alone talking, about the exchange with Joyce. I could buy that William suspected something might develop between Chloe and I, but the fact that Joyce and Klare also suspected it, not to mention made a betting pool on it, was a bit too much. Yeah, I really don't want to think about that.

Anywho, we made it to the hospital and stopped in the parking area. After getting the room number from the receptionist, we headed towards Kate. As we arrived, however, Chloe spoke. "Hospitals always freak me out." She told me, looking very uncomfortable.

"I hear you." I agreed. I had some unpleasant experiences in hospitals too. "But imagine how Kate feels." I sighed. "I hope this isn't too weird for her." I mumble under my breath.

"You mean talking to her after you emotionally blackmailed her, or knowing she likes you while you're with me?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Both." I responded with a sigh.

"Well, regardless, I'm sure she'll be stoked to see you." Chloe sat on the bench outside Kate's room. "I'll wait out here for you." She said, looking regretful. What's that about? "I was a complete bitch for blowing a fuse when you were about answer Kate's call." She sighed. Ah. "I'm glad you ripped me a new one when you did." She told me.

"I won't be long." I promised her, kissing her cheek. She smiled up at me as I took a deep breath, entering the door. "Knock knock." I said. Kate was indeed in the room, sitting on the hospital bed, in hospital robes, drawing. Her attention turned to me, and her face lit up as I walked through.

"Damon!" She said happily, jumping up and running into my arms. She hugged me tight as I hugged her. It was so relieving to see her alive and OK like this. "I thought I'd never see you again." She said, sighing in content. She's enjoying being held by me way too much… "I feel so stupid… I'm so sorry." She told me as we finally separated.

"Kate, you have nothing to apologize for." I told her firmly, making her look at me. "You are not responsible for all the crap that's gone on the past few days, alright?" I asked.

"But I… I almost got you killed." she said, her eyes welling up.

"Kate." I sighed. "I won't lie and say I was bluffing, but that wasn't on you." I told her. "I was emotionally blackmailing you." I said with a guilty face. "And whilst I don't regret it, I am sorry for making you feel that way." I said, ashamed.

"Damon, you _saved _me." Kate pressed.

"Let's just try not to think about it, agreed?" I suggested.

"Agreed." She nodded, smiling.

"Is it dumb for me to ask how you're doing?" I asked gently.

"With you here, I'm doing even better." She told me sincerely, smiling brightly. "I can never tell you how grateful I am that you came up to the roof for me. I felt so lost and alone, but when with you there, you made me realize I wasn't." She took my hand in both of hers. "Thank you." She said with a bright smile.

"Kate, so many people want to help you." I smiled back at her.

"I know. You should see all the letters and postcards." She told me as we approached the bed, which she sat in. I sat on a chair next to it. "I gave most of the flowers away to other patients because they need them more than I do. I'm keeping the balloons though." She said sweetly. Oh dear me, bless you and your soft, sweet heart Kate. "One of the nurses gave me some paper and pens so I could sketch again." She added.

"You are a illustrator." I commented.

"They got a little dark there for awhile." She said sheepishly. "But, I have a new idea for a children's book about bullying. I was think of adding a few photographs in." She gave me a look.

"Where, oh where, are you going to find a decent photographer for that?" I asked her coyly, earning a cute giggle.

"You better do the photos." She told me in a playful attempt at being stern. "I'm going to be here for another day until my family comes along to visit." She told me.

"They treating you alright?" I asked. I'd heard that Kate's mother was being quite harsh with her about the video.

"They think they need to protect me forever." Kate said, her smile betraying her feelings on the matter. "I know they feel guilty, even though they didn't do anything." She said, surprising me.

"Your father and siblings didn't do anything; they were there for you. You're mother on the other hand…" I trailed off.

"Mom is the most devoted to our faith out of the five of us." Kate told me. "Yes, she can be harsh and judgmental, but she's my Mom. I have to gave her a chance." She said sincerely.

"That's very mature of you Kate." I smiled, eliciting a small blush from her. "Oh yes, I recalled I promised you a surprise." I told her, reaching into my laptop bag. I pulled out my old cellphone, which still had some mobile data on it. "After you were taken to the hospital, I snuck into Victoria's room and stole her laptop." I told her, earning a gasp. "I put it back of course, but not before deleting the video from every social media Victoria had a profile on." I added quickly.

"Really?" She asked, elated.

"Really." I nodded, before a sneaky grin made its way onto my face. "When it came to the website, however, I got a little devious." I smirked. "Open the video." I told her, handing her the phone, having gone to the website. She looked at me with shock. "Trust me." I said before she could protest. Shakily, she took the phone and pressed play.

The first few seconds of the video, which were all blurry and didn't show much of anything, passed by, but then the video froze. Kate frowned in confusion, but the screen suddenly sizzled, and turned all black. Then, an image appeared. It was a red sword shape, pointed downwards, with large, black, bird-like wings extruding from the hilt area.

"**Angel… of… Death…" **A dark, cold, menacing voice growled from the phone before it sizzled again and the screen turned completely blue.

"Digital punishment." I grinned, crossing my arms as Kate looked at me, bewildered.

"H-how?" She asked incredulously.

"Well, a very simplified, and not completely accurate, description of the internet is that it's large cluster of data and information that all computers are connected to." I explained, making a ball-shape with my hands for effect. "Whenever something is posted on the internet, it's added to the cluster. And when someone watches a video, they are essentially reaching into the cluster, and bringing it to the device to display on the screen." I went on. "When I had Victoria's laptop, I planted a virus that I made myself into the video." I grinned. "Now, whenever someone tries to watch the video, the device will bring the virus along with the video, and it will crash the device, completely wipe it clean." Kate's eyes were wide.

"You did this?" She asked in shock. I nodded.

"It's not a perfect solution, as there are still people who can find it elsewhere if they have the skills, but no random Tom, Dick, or Harry will be able to watch the video on their cellphones." I told her. "And if they try to, they won't try again." I added.

"Damon, I…" She looked at me. "I don't know how to feel about this." She said honestly.

"Well, I did it mostly to be mischievous and devious, but I won't deny there was a bit of spite in the mix as well." I admitted without any shame or regret.

-"Well, thank you, nonetheless." She gave me a small smile. "It makes me happy that no one will watch the video anymore. Or at least, very few." She told me.

"Glad to help." I smiled. Things were quiet for a moment before she spoke up again.

"Damon, there's something else…" She said softly, her expression turning to one of nervousness and vulnerability.

"Yes?" I asked, not that I need to. I've been dreading this.

"I… I'm… what I mean to say is... I-I-I…" She stammered and stuttered, her face turning red as an apple. I held up a hand to stop her.

"I know, Kate." I whispered. "I know." I looked her in the eyes, seeing her downtrodden orbs.

"I'm sorry…" She whispered, looking away from me. "I should have known you wouldn't… I mean, I'm not exactly the most beautiful girl in town." She mumbled self-deprecatingly. "Not to mention what you said on the roof about religious people." She added with a depressed sigh.

"Kate, please don't think that." I said to her as I stood up, taking one of her hands in my own. "First of all, if you think it's about your looks, it's not. You're prettier than you give yourself credit for." I told her firmly, using my hand to turn her head to face me. "If you think it's about your faith, its not. I admit I've not had the best experiences with religious people, but I will never judge you for what you believe in." I went on. "If you think there's something wrong with you, then I want you to stop that train of thought right now. You're going to find someone amazing soon enough, someone who loves and cherishes you like you deserve, but it won't be me." I told her, being both firm and gentle as I can. Her cheeks were red as she looked into my eyes.

"But then, why…" She trailed off again, looking to the side in embarrassment, again.

"I told you before; you remind me of my little sister, a little too much, to be honest." I said with a sigh, running my hand through my hair. "Imagine meeting a boy who acts just like your father? Would you date him?" I asked.

"Daddy's a good man, but…" She cringed a little.

"Exactly." I sat down. "When it comes down to it, you're just… not my type." I told her. "And that is not something you need to take personally, and it doesn't mean that there's something wrong with you." I said firmly. "Some people just… aren't compatible." I finished.

"I know." She sighed sadly. "It doesn't make it any easier." She looked out through the window, looking at the sky.

"I know." I assured her. I've had more than a few heartbreaks of my own. Things were silent for a moment, and whilst I can usually enjoy the quiet, the atmosphere was a little too awkward for me taste. So, I changed the subject. "I see you've gotten a few letters." I said, gesturing to the letters on the bedside table.

"Oh, yes." She said, going along with the unsubtle attempt. "From everyone. Daniel, Mr Jefferson, even Victoria and Mr Madsen." She gave a small smile. "They both apologized, and I believe they were being real."

"Seriously?" I asked with a raised an eyebrow. "How does that make you feel?" I asked.

"Damon, I know Victoria can be a… a…" She blushed, not wanting to finish the sentence. "Not nice." She finally settled. "But, I do believe in forgiveness and redemption. I might be naive, but I feel her struggle." She told me. God, this girl is really too kind for her own good. "And Mr Madsen is a good man, I know he is." She added.

"You're a better person than me, Kate." I let out a tired sigh. "I decked Victoria in the face and broke her nose whilst you were up on the roof." I informed her, making her gasp. "And when Madsen lost his temper with me and backhanded me, I broke his arm." I went on.

"Damon…" She whispered, shocked.

"Like I said, you're a better person than I am." I reiterated.

"That's not true." She said in what only be the equivalent of a snap. Well, for her. "We all react differently to what we're faced with. Just because you took one course of action, while I took another, doesn't mean you're a bad person." She said, trying to be stern. It was actually kind of cute.

"You're a sweet girl Kate." I smiled at her. "I'm glad you think that way."

"We all have our moments." She told me with a smile. "Why do you think Victoria acts so mean?" She asked.

"Either she's insecure, or she's just a bitch." I shrugged, making Kate grimace. "Sorry, but she's wealthy, beautiful, and talented, I can't think of a reason she'd have to be insecure. Unless…" I trailed off.

"Unless?" Kate urged me to go on.

"My mother's a psychologist, and when I was a kid, I used to sneak peaks at her notes." I cringed. "I don't think my left buttock has been the same since she found out." I shuddered, eliciting a cute giggle from Kate. Glad to see she can laugh. "Digression aside, I remember reading that one of her patients had Histrionic Personality Disorder." I recalled with a frown. "It essentially amounts to a compulsive need for attention, and a willingness to take any means necessary to get it, be it enthusiasm, dramaticism, or even sexual promiscuity." I sighed. "It fits her perfectly, but I'm no therapist." I admitted.

"It does make sense." Kate agreed. "And if that's not the case, there has to be a reason why she's so mean. If there wasn't, how would she be able to write such a sincere letter?" she asked.

"True that." I conceded.

"And the same could be said for Mr Madsen." She continued. "In his letter, he said that his past as a soldier is not an excuse, and he regrets they way he acted." She informed, surprising me.

"When did you get the letter?" I asked curiously.

"Yesterday evening, a nurse told me that one of the other patients asked her to deliver it." She recalled, giving me a look. "I suppose he was here to have his broken arm looked at." She deduced.

"Most likely." I said dryly.

"Damon?" She called to me after a moment of silence. I looked up at her. "This has been bothering me since you arrived; did you get into a fight?" She asked, gesturing to her neck. "You have a bruise here." She told me, making me freeze.

"Uuuh…" I trailed off, not quite sure what to say. "It's a hickey." I eventually admitted.

She tilted her head innocently. "What's a hickey?" She asked, making me blanch.

"Well…" God, I shouldn't be telling her this, but if I don't, who will? "It's also called a love bite." I bit out. See what I did there? "Some people bite down on their partners during… well, during sex." I mumbled, making Kate's eyes widen and her cheeks turn scarlet. "Or just heavy petting." I added. I don't think I needed to explain what 'petting' was to her. The context was clear.

"I… see…" She mumbled, looking away, both saddened and embarrassed. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to tell her that…

Better shift topics again.

"Listen, I'm happy to see you again, but I don't think I can stay much longer. I'm in the middle of outing Nathan for all the crap he's pulled." I told her. Her face darkened, though not considerably, given her nature.

"I don't usually say this about people, but there's something evil about the Prescotts Damon." She told me, fear evident in her tone.

"I know." I agreed, standing up. "I have to go now, but I'll come back and visit as soon as I can, OK?" I asked with a soft smile.

"Thank you Damon, I can't tell you how much it means to me that you're here." She told me. Smiling, I leaned forward and placed a small kiss on her forehead, making her blush.

"See you soon." I told her, heading for the door. As I opened the door, I looked to Chloe, who was still sitting on the bench, and nodded. Nodding back, she stood up. As we were about to leave, I heard Kate call to me.

"Damon, wait." She said as she walked up to me.

"Need something?" I asked as she stopped in front of me. She blushed and looked up at me. What she did next surprised me. She placed her hands on my shoulders and leaned upwards, since I was taller than her, and planted her lips on mine. Chloe's jaw dropped. It wasn't a full-blown snog or anything, Kate just pressed her lips against mine for about six or seven seconds, but the context was clear. As she pulled back, she looked up at me with a face redder than I've ever seen anyone blush.

"S-sorry…" She stammered out, fidgeting in place. "I just… Just once I wanted to… I know it's wrong, but... I mean…" She wasn't able to put together a coherent sentence. "Bye!" She squeaked, closing the door, leaving me shell-shocked. Chloe, on the other hand, had the widest, most evil grin I've ever seen from her.

"No." I stopped her before she could make a remark.

"But-"

"No." I cut her off.

"I just-"

"No!" I snapped, my face red as I saw her grinning from ear to ear. Thankfully, she's not petty enough to be upset with me for what someone else did. I mean, how was Kate supposed to know my girlfriend was standing right outside the room when she kissed me? But, that doesn't mean I'll get away unscathed. If only for the sake of it, Chloe's going to find a way to hold that over my head.

"Well, I'll get a quip in sooner or later." Chloe conceded to not making a joke. Yet.

"You're going to be the death of me." I sighed. Still, as I said this, I brought an arm around her waist.

"You know you love it." She grinned cheekily, leaning into my hold. Never will I ever give her the satisfaction of knowing she's right.

* * *

**Ok, some part of me is saying that I made this chapter a little too mushy in regards to Damon and Chloe's interactions. We all know she hates the mush, but I tried to alter it in a way that would make sense for her. I mean, the mush they have here just fits with them so well! It's not sappy and romantic like a cheesy rom-com. It's punky and wild mush, just like Chloe and Damon. Am I wrong? Did I not do it well? **

**Also, I quite enjoyed writing the interaction with Kate. Especially the end, and the hickey bit. I just had to add that. Come on, we all know the girl is about as innocent and naive as a puppy. She's probably never even seen a diagram of the reproductive system in a Biology class. She might even believe a stork delivers babies! Come on, is it that hard to believe? We've all seen Dumbo! Kate probably has too!**

**That bit with Joyce was just me having fun, truthfully. And me being lazy in having Chloe and Damon's relationship become known to their parents. Namely, Joyce and Klare. As we all know, Chloe will never see David as a parent, and the same can be said with Damon about Genevieve, though the latter two are on much better terms than the former two. **

**Anywho, hope you enjoyed the chapter. **

**C'ya!**


	14. Dark Room - Part 4

After a small discussion, Chloe and I opted to head for Blackwell next. We have all of David's files, which is definitely a step in the right direction. Next, since we know Nathan was close to Rachel one way or another, we should be able to find some kind of clue in his room. Hopefully his phone so that we can see what he's been doing during the Vortex parties. After that, we'll confront Frank, give him the money that we stole from Wells, and hopefully convince him to give us his client list, which we believe to be the last piece of the puzzle.

As we walked right back towards the dorm, we're all of a sudden faced with Mr Jefferson. My alarms are all blaring at the back of my head. After what happened with Kate, it seems Jefferson triggers my danger instincts. I can't for the life of me figure out why.

"Oh, Damon." He greeted me with a small, polite smile.

"Mr Jefferson." I responded with narrow eyes. His smile fell and he gave me an understanding look.

"Look, Damon, I understand I've lost a great deal of your trust and respect after what happened with Kate." He told me. He at least has the decency to look abashed, that's a start. "I admit that I was wrong, but I hope I can at least earn some of your respect back. I have high hopes for you Damon, and I'd rather not be the cause of a rift." he said sincerely. Why are my instincts driving me to not trust him?

"I understand Sir." I said with a soft sigh. "I know that I shouldn't be holding this against you." I told him.

"It's quite alright." he said with a fatherly smile. "Now, care to introduce me to your friend?" he asked, smirking slightly.

"Ah, yes." I cleared my throat. "Mr Jefferson, my girlfriend Chloe. Chloe, Mr Mark Jefferson, my photography teacher." I told her.

"Wow, I must admit, I've been wondering what kind of girl would grab Damon's attention." Jefferson said with a grin as he and Chloe shook hands. "Truth be told, I was beginning to think you didn't like girls, what with all the female students giggling behind your back." That prompted a laugh from Chloe.

"What?!" I blanched in shock.

"It's true." he grinned as Chloe laughed. "Many of the girls in the Academy are pining for your attention. Even Victoria made a remark about your, and I quote, 'sexy English accent,' when you first arrived." He told me.

"Believe me, I know all about Victoria's desire to see what's under my shirt." I said dryly.

"Well, I certainly am glad to see you're being a teenager in your free time." Jefferson smiled, looking Chloe and I over. "I was starting to get concerned with how you brood every afternoon away after classes, and only go to the occasional cafe on the weekends." He added.

Chloe gave me a look. "I'm a real gift from above for you, aren't I?" She asked with a teasing grin.

"Yeah, sure." I responded, deadpanned, making Jefferson and Chloe laugh.

"Now, not that this hasn't been fun, but I have duties to attend to. A teacher's job is never done." He said sagely. "I have to announce the winner of the Everyday Heroes Concert. Whilst I'm sorry to see you didn't enter, I understand." he gave a small sigh. "You can't force an artist to work."

"I do feel like an idiot for not handing something in." I admitted, frowning. "For multiple reasons, it's been rather difficult to focus this week." I paused. "No pun intended."

"Regardless, I'm proud of you for caring that much for a friend." he smiled, referring to Kate. "And don't be too down about the contest, you have plenty of time. Just, get into the habit of putting your work out there." He advised. "Even if you know you're going to get rejected, just do it." He added.

"I will, thank you Sir." I nodded in response. "And I will do my best to be there tonight." I added.

"I'll be his date." Chloe chimed in. "Music, snacks, drinks, and dancing teachers? Count me in." She grinned.

"No one should ever have to see me dance." Jefferson laughed. "Plus, you don't want to see this old hipster trying to keep up with the kids." He gave a grin. "Be seeing you." He bade us farewell.

"Kinda hot for a teacher." Chloe nudged me once Jefferson was out of earshot.

"Hey, girls only." I shot back, swatting her rear.

"Hey!" She yelped, making me smirk. She glared as we made our way to the dorm, her eyes promising retribution.

* * *

So the plan was for me to sneak into Nathan's room whilst Chloe kept watch outside of the dorm building. She wanted to come inside with me to keep a closer watch, but I argued that I would need as much time as possible to get out if Nathan approached, so she conceded. If Nathan approached the building, Chloe would text me and I would hurry my efforts, and rewind if necessary. I also made her promise me not to confront Nathan. We don't want another bathroom incident.

Anyways, I made my way to Nathan's dorm room. Funnily enough, it was actually the room right next to mine; Room 111. Mine was room 112. The reminder of that made me feel kinda shitty, since Nathan drugged her in his room. I was probably brooding on my bed with my earphones blasting in my ears at the time. That whole thing happened right next to me and I didn't even know it. I suppose it's just one more thing I have to make up for to Chloe over the course of our new relationship.

Shaking my head clear of those thoughts, I tried to open Nathan's dorm. Unfortunately, he's like me. He locks his door whenever he leaves. So, using a little trick that my Sensei taught me, I brought my foot down on the door handle, snapping it right off. With a smirk, I entered the room and rewound, effectively repairing the door without leaving any trace of evidence that I was here in the first place. Damn, as much as this power freaks me out sometimes, I can't help but love it. Is it awesome, or is it awesome?

"Alright Press-cunt, let's see what you have hidden in your abode." I said with an evil smirk, rubbing my hands together.

Nathan's room was surprisingly clean, and kind of creepy. Which wasn't exactly a bad thing. The dark colors are what gave it a creep factor. It's actually not too different from my room.

A cold fury coursed through me as I found a photograph of Chloe, drugged, on his desk. She looked completely out of it, laying on the ground on her side. Scowling, I pocketed the image and continued my search. I found some other shit, some weed, his camera, his books, and whatnot, but nothing that would actually help. Fascinating as it was to find out that Nathan listens to whale sounds to fall asleep, it doesn't really help. When I went over to his computer, I had to smirk. It was crashed, meaning he tried to watch Kate's video. Divine Punishment~

The shelf full of horror movies was interesting, but it didn't yield much info either, other than Nathan's tastes in movies. I'd actually seen some of these movies and they weren't all bad. And I have to give credit where it's due; I found some of Nathan's photographs, and they were all pretty good shots. They had a dark twist, which was only made more powerful by the fact that they were taken in black and white. You can tell a lot about a person from their living space, and, well… I have to say, if Nathan wasn't so fucking unstable, he and I could probably have been pretty good friends.

Shaking my head, I continued my search. After a few moments, I noticed something.

"What do we have here?" I asked the air, kneeling down. There were indents on the carpet, indicating something slid over them. Said indents lead towards the couch legs, and there were also scratch marks on the wall. Subtle, but they were there. "Jackpot." I smirked, walking up to the couch. I pulled it away from the wall to see what Nathan was hiding behind it. Lo and behold, I find a zip-lock bag hanging off the back of the couch, with a cellphone and some other papers in it. "I had a dog, and his name was Bingo." I grinned, rewinding once I took the bag. I quickly slipped it into my pocket. As I did so however, I received a text from Chloe.

**Chloe: nathan alert! hurry! or rewind!**

Immediately, I made for the door. I unlocked it, which is easy from the inside, and left, hoping the maybe Nathan would just think he'd forgotten to lock it when he gets back. As I closed the door, however, I heard a voice.

"Damon?" Juliet asked me as she came down the stairs, approaching. "What were you doing in Nathan's room?" She asked. I was about to respond, but Nathan had just turned the corner and was stomping towards his room. Hoping I don't die as a consequence, I did the first thing that came to mind. I pushed Juliet against my own dorm door, and slammed my lips onto hers, earning a shocked squeak. When she saw Nathan approaching, however, she got the message and rolled with it, returning the kiss. She was quite surprised when I snaked my tongue into her mouth, making her let out a moan as I did my work, my hands pinning her shoulders to the door.

"Jesus Fuck, get a room, pricks." Nathan sneered, stomping past us and pushing right into his room and locking the door. He didn't even noticed that it was unlocked.

"Fuaah~" Juliet let out a breath she'd been holding in as we finally separated, a thin string of saliva connecting us. I think she and I might have gotten a little too into it there for a second. "Wow…" She breathed out, her eyes half-lidded, a dazed look on her face. She bit her lip and let out a light giggle. "You're a really good kisser." She said with a dreamy look on her face. Then, she frowned. "Isn't your girlfriend gonna be mad though?" She asked as I stepped back.

"Doubtful, considering she's apparently quite keen on the idea of watching me, and I quote, dominate a bitch." I said dryly. "Plus, since she likes girls too, and I've given her free reign to go wild as she wants with the ladies, I don't think she'll be too put out." I concluded.

"To each their own I guess." Juliet shrugged, straightening out her clothes.

"Sorry about that, by the way." I said, chuckling sheepishly.

"I'm not." She grinned. "Lemme know if that 'dominate a bitch' plan comes to fruition. I'll probably be available." She purred, shocking me. "If that kiss, and the sounds Price was making last night are a precursor, I'd _love _to see what else can come." She whispered huskily, planting a kiss on the corner of my mouth. Jesus Christ, what is it with these Blackwell girls? Or is it me? I know Jefferson said many of the girls here like my accent, and I'd like to think I can turn a few heads, but this is just too much! I had to stop myself from staring as she swayed her hips.

Dammit Damon, focus!

* * *

"Waaahahahaha!" Chloe howled with laughter, clutching her belly as I drove us towards the beach, where Frank had texted Chloe to meet him with his money. As we were on our way, I'd informed her about what happened with Juliet. I didn't want to keep any secrets from her, and I was, truthfully, somewhat ashamed. With Kate, it was different. Kate kissed me, and she didn't know Chloe was right there. With Juliet, I kissed her, and made it look like we were about to get busy. Sure, I was doing it to avoid getting spotted by Nathan, but that's not an excuse. For whatever reason though, Chloe disagrees.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up." I grumbled. She also seemed to think that the brief conversation I had with Juliet afterwards was hilarious. I really should have known. I didn't think she'd be upset, but she's reacting a lot stronger than I than I thought she would. I expected a demand of something big to make it up to her, or a couple of quips at my expense, but not a fit of laughter.

"Dude, you've probably macked on more girls than I have, and that's saying something!" She laughed. I recalled that she told me she had sex with four girls so far, but that probably doesn't include Rachel, or any other girls she 'macked on.' I swear, this girl is going to be the end of me. "You gonna take Juliet up on her offer? It sounds like fun to me." She said with an eager grin.

"Chloe, I reiterate, it's been less than 24 hours since we made 'this' official." I said, gesturing between the two of us as I stopped at a red light. "Let's not think about bringing other people into our bedroom just yet, alright?" I asked tiredly. The only response I got was a wide, overly sweet smile. I shudder to think of what Chloe's thinking right now.

* * *

For about the eighth or ninth time, I found myself opening my eyes, sitting in my car, which was parked at the beach parking area, with Frank's RV in the distance. I've rewound this conversation several times now, and each time, it ends with Chloe getting stabbed, Frank and Pompidou getting killed, Frank getting stabbed, Frank getting his neck broken, or some other kind of injury. I think my arm is still bleeding from where Pompidou bit once. Yep, it is.

"Poor whales…" Chloe said, looking to the beach, where all the dead whales are. Again.

"I know." I agreed, again.

"When I think of all their families out there, waiting for them, it reminds me of my Dad." She said sadly. Again.

"Me too." I agreed, again, before Chloe's face darkened.

"Alright, now that asshole is going to help us find Rachel." She growled, pulling her gun out.

"Chloe." I sighed tiredly, gaining her attention. She gasped as I pulled up my jacket sleeve, showing off the bleeding bite mark from Pompidou.

"What the fuck?" She gasped as I pulled a first aid kit from the back of the car. Always a good idea to keep one of these.

"I've rewound this conversation with Frank several times now." I told her as I opened the kit, grabbing some rubbing alcohol. "Each time, you or I say something that allows Frank to figure out that we were in his RV. Or we just piss him off and he enters rage mode." I explained as I rubbed the alcohol on the wound, not even flinching at the stinging pain. "Did you know that he goes to Church?" I asked curiously.

"No, I actually didn't." She said, surprised.

"I was surprised too, believe me." I said honestly as some gauze on the wound and wrapped bandages around it. "Each time I rewind, it ends with someone getting hurt. Three times now, you've shot Frank and Pompidou dead." I told her, prompting horrified wide eyes. "Please leave the gun behind." I pleaded with her. "If he gets violent, I can rewind or bring out my own gun. Just please don't snap at him or threaten him." I asked softly.

"Y-yeah, sure…" She bit out, gulping. She put the gun in the glovebox, which relieved me to no end, as she pulled out the envelope with Frank's money. A new envelope, one that doesn't say 'Handicapped Fund,' and only contains the 3k that Chloe owes. We set the remaining 2k aside, promising to use it for a road trip to Portland at a later date. "M-maybe you should do the talking." She suggested.

I nodded in response as we got out. We strolled over to the RV, walking around it to get to the door. Calmly, Chloe knocked on the door. Within seconds, Frank opened, a scowl forming on his face as soon as he saw me. Just like every other time we went down this road.

"Oh look, the Wonder Twins." Frank snarked, leaving the RV. He didn't close the door, since Pompidou was trained well enough to not leave his owner's eyesight. "Pretty ballsy of you to show yourself after you shot me." He said, narrowing his eyes as he held up his bandaged hand.

"You scared me, Frank." I said bluntly. "Pulling a knife on Chloe and threatening to cut her? Look me in the eye and tell me you wouldn't have done the same if I aimed my gun at your dog." I crossed my arms. "Pompidou, was it?" I asked, directing my attention to Chloe, who nodded, playing along.

"Yeah, fine, whatever." Frank spat, rolling his eyes. Still, the seed was planted. He saw things my way, even if he wasn't allowing it to show. That'll reduce the odds of him going all Hulk on us and making me have to rewind. "Where's the money?" He asked, turning to Chloe. There's some proof. If I hadn't answered, he'd have said _'Where's my fucking money?' _There's an improvement.

"Right here." Chloe said, pulling out the envelope.

"There, was that so hard?" He asked snarkily. "Let's not do anymore business, shall we?" He asked with fake politeness as he took the envelope from Chloe.

"Hold." I said before he could enter the RV again. It caught his attention. "There's another reason why we're here." I told him. "We need some information, and we're willing to pay for it." I said simply.

"Listen kid, I just said that I won't be doing anymore business with her." he jerked his head in Chloe's direction.

"This is business with me, not Chloe." I said, reaching into my pocket. I pulled out three hundred dollar bills, holding them up. "300 dollars, up close and personal. No debt, no owing anyone anything." I told him. He narrowed his eyes at me, before they drifted towards the bills in my hand.

"What info?" he asked. Not a no, but not a yes either.

"Your client list." I said, simple and straightforward.

"Oh, is that so?" He gave a sarcastic laugh. "Why didn't you say so? How about my stash, my dog, or even the keys to my RV?" He asked. I don't need to say how sarcastic he was being.

"Sarcasm ill befits you Frank." I deadpanned.

"You're giving me a headache Pommy." he spat. "No deal." He made for his RV door.

"First of all, my name is Damon. Damon Azrail, use it." I told him. I really don't like it when people call me 'Pommy.' I don't call him shit like 'trailer trash' or 'hick,' and I expect the same courtesy.

"Azrail?" he stopped, looking at me. "You're _that _Damon?" He asked, surprised for whatever reason.

"You know of me?" I asked, turning my attention to Chloe, who shrugged.

"Rachel told me that Chloe would talk about you all the time." He said, his voice and face softening. His gaze wandered back and forth between us a few times before he released a small chuckle. "Seems she was right about the two of you eventually macking on each other." He crossed his arms, making Chloe flush. I held back a small flush of my own.

"Moving on…" I bit out. "Rachel is actually the reason we need your client list." I told him. His eyes bulged out of his head, brighter than I'd ever seen from him. Is this what hope looks like in his eyes. "We've already got most of the puzzle pieces we need, and I believe that your client list is the last one." I told him. "You cared about her, didn't you?" I asked.

"That's an understatement." He said with a sad chuckle, running a hand through his hair. "I can't stand not knowing where she is. Not hearing her voice, her laugh…" He let out a depressed sigh. "The only person to ever give two shits about me." he mumbled.

"Then help us find her." Chloe chimed in, her voice ringing desperation.

"It's a long shot, I'll admit." I told him admittedly. "It really is, but it's not nothing." I said with conviction, holding out the money for him.

A moment of silence.

"If there's a chance in hell you two dorks can find Rachel, I'll take it." He finally said, taking the cash. "Plus, my dog's not barking at you, so that's good." he added in a mumble, pulling a small book out from his jacket. Without a word, he handed it to me. I gave a nod in response.

"Thank you Frank." I told him sincerely. "When we have a definitive answer, you'll be the first to know." I promised him. He gave a small nod in response, walking into his RV without another word.

"Whew." Chloe sighed in relief, wiping the sweat from her forehead. I too released a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Let's get out of here." I suggested. Chloe was all too eager to agree.

* * *

As Chloe and I entered the Price household, we were suddenly greeted to the sight of David and Joyce, clearly talking in the kitchen. Joyce's expression was one of firmness, disappointment, and anger. David, wearing a casual outfit with a cast on his arm, was clearly ashamed. And as we Chloe and I walked into the house, their attention turned to us, and their conversation came to a grinding halt.

A tense silence overcame the room as David and I locked eyes. Her nose in the air, Joyce walked away from David, passed Chloe and myself. She placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder, sending a silent message with her eyes. Hesitantly, Chloe looked at me, and I gave her a reassuring smile. With a single nod, she left for upstairs with her mother, leaving David and myself alone.

"David." I gave a simple greeting, my tone and expression emotionless.

"Damon…" He let out, softly and abashedly. "I'm sorry." He finally said, looking as though it took physical effort to say the words.

"For what?" I asked as I raised an expectant eyebrow. "Hitting me? Spying on me? Scaring my friend? Stalking her?" I listed with my fingers. Might be a bit of a dick move, but I don't really care. "And if you for second believe you're going to get an apology out of me, you're dead wrong." I told him before he could respond. "I have no regrets concerning that." I pointed at his casted arm. A lie; the only thing I regret is breaking his arm with something Sensei taught me.

"Ok, yes, I deserved that." He sighed out, rubbing his uncovered hand on his cast. "I'm sorry for all of them. Above all for raising my hand to you." He told me. "Joyce said that if it wasn't for you, I'd probably be sleeping in a hotel right now." He said after a moment of silence. "Said you thought my arm was punishment enough." he sighed. "I guess I should thank you as well." He gave a wry smile. "Still sleeping on the couch though."

"I see." I said simply. Another brief silence. "David, why do you do this?" I asked of him, gaining his attention.

"What?"

"Why do you feel the need to do all the shit you do?" I asked, running a hand through my hair. "Spying on students, stalking them, the surveillance, the cameras in this house?" I listed.

"How did you-"

"Chloe wasn't wrong when she called you a total paranoid." I cut him off. "Why do roll through your PTSD instead actually finding someone to _help _you?" I finally asked, making him stop. "You know that if you had someone helping you, then there wouldn't be images of Commies or Iraqis jumping out of the closet, killing you, raping Joyce and selling Chloe to prostitution." I crossed my arms. By the not-so-subtle flinch, I'd say that scenario sounds rather familiar to him. PTSD nightmare I'd wager.

"When I was in combat, I…" He trailed off with a gulp, his face paling slightly. "I can't go into detail, maybe someday, but let's just say that I did something I shouldn't have, and cost my squad a few lives." He shuddered slightly. "I disobeyed orders, and for that, I was dishonorably discharged." His breath hitched. "I failed my men. I was the Sergeant, and yet I acted like a cadet with dreams of film-like glory." He shook his head. "I relive it almost every night, and I always have this nagging feeling that I'm going to screw up in the same way and lose Joyce and Chloe." He wiped away tears that were barely showing. "I don't want that to happen again." He said.

My respect and sympathy for the man before went up at that moment, but not exactly by leaps and bounds. Let me clarify: by no means do I consider David a bad man. I do not for one second believe that he shouldn't be loved, or have a family, or be happy with his life. He's a broken man, and he needs help. Ok, well, _broken _might be a bit of an exaggeration. I'd say he's more likely a little twisted by his experiences. Fractured, not unlike his arm right now.

"I won't pretend I know what that must be like." I finally spoke. "All I can do is offer my deepest sympathies; no one should have to go through that." I said, stuffing my hands in my jacket pockets. "However, that doesn't excuse the way you've been acting. Chloe might be hellraiser, but you're also just as responsible for the issues between you the two of you as she is." I narrowed my eyes at him. "From the beginning, you should have been the adult, the proverbial bigger man."

"I… You're right…" He whispered, shaking his head as he shuddered. Must be one fucked up memory.

"I have three bits of advice for you David." I told him, pulling a business card out of my back pocket. "Get help." I said, handing him the card; my mother's business card. "My Mum is a renowned Psychologist in England. Suicidal teens, rape victims, soldiers…" I let that last one hang in the air for a moment, catching his attention. "She helps them all. I know it'd be difficult, considering she's in London, and you'd have to stay there for a good few months to fully reap the benefits, to say nothing about the finances, but if you find yourself able to afford it, I recommend you jump at the chance. I can even convince her to discount you if you'd like." He looked at me with wide eyes.

"Dr Klare Azrail…" He read in a whisper, looking back at the card.

"Second, get rid of the cameras." I told him. Before he could ask how I knew about them, I cut him off. "I know Joyce, and if she found out about those, she'd have all your belongings packed and the divorce papers signed before you can say 'Attention.' You know she would." David put on a grimace at the thought. Clearly, he's been on the receiving end of Joyce's wrath before. "Finally, stop trying to parent Chloe." I said simply.

"What?" He asked, his eyes wide.

"You're not her father." I reminded him. "You married her mother, but that doesn't give you the right to try and parent her. It doesn't give you parental authority over her, or any other kind." I said sternly. "The only person in this house that has any authority over her, is Joyce. This is _Joyce's _house, not yours. Her house, her daughter, her responsibility." I told him. His gaze found the ground as he took in everything I said. "She's nineteen, and though she still has plenty of growing up to do, she doesn't need an adult to guide her anymore. All she needs is one good push in the right direction, and I don't think you're the one who will give her that push." I finished.

"Then who will?" He asked softly.

"I don't know." I said honestly. I'm not certain if I can give her that push, truth be told. "But you and I both know that Joyce won't allow Chloe to throw everything away. She's not at edge of the cliff just yet. If she doesn't pull herself together before then, Joyce will make sure she does. Time for you to step down, pun intended, and trust your wife to deal with her own daughter." I told him with finality. I earned a small, wry smile at the 'step down' bit. "When it really comes down to it, this is all just advice from a teenaged Blackwell little shit-ass punk." I said dryly, using his words against him. "Do what you will. Just know that your actions in the very near future could dictate the terms of your relationship with Chloe, and your marriage." I warned him.

I didn't even wait for a response as I left, heading towards Chloe's room. I walked passed Joyce as I went up the stairs, giving her a single nod. With a relieved sigh, she went down to continue her talk with her husband. Say what you will about David, but he has one thing that Chloe can't deny, no matter how much she dislikes him; he loves Joyce. I won't deny his attitude is a big instigator in his ongoing conflict with Chloe, but she's not innocent here either. That, however, is a whole other can of worms. We can deal with that after we find Rachel.

* * *

As I entered Chloe's room, I found her sitting on the edge of the bed, a pondering look on her pretty face. She was definitely deep in thought, maybe about David, or perhaps what happened with Frank. Either way, she perked up when she saw me.

"Hey, what happened with Step-wanker?" She asked, standing up. I smirked at her use of my variant of 'Step-douche.'

"Well enough." I responded. "He apologized for what happened, told me something about his past, and really took in what I had to say." I told her thoughtfully. "Makes me think there's more to him than I've seen this past week." I shrugged.

"Aw come one." Chloe whined. "Tell me you're not going to join Mom in the 'Get-Chloe-to-Like-David Club?' Please?" She pleaded.

"Not at all." I waved her off, much to her relief. "Whatever happens between you all is on him now. It's his move." I said as I wrapped my arms around her waist. "What about you? You alright?" I asked of her softly.

"Well, I'm glad things went well with Frank." She told me honestly, resting her head on my chest. "It's nice to have one less enemy in Arcadia Bay." She noted.

"I hear that." I said with a small sigh as I planted a soft kiss on her head. We held still for a moment, just holding each other, bask in the other's warmth. "We should carry on with our investigation." I said after a moment. Chloe pulled her head from my chest and looked up at me with a mischievous grin. One that means clothes were going to be lost any second.

"We could… in about 30 minutes…" She whispered huskily, pressing her lips against the line of my jaw.

"You are insatiable." I grinned at her, sliding my hands down her hips.

"You know it." She responded, kissing me.

* * *

**And there we have it. Another chapter done and dusted. Please forgive my quietness lately guys. I've been job-hunting, studying for my driver's licence, and adjusting to a new house. I'd been living in holiday home when I first arrived in Canberra, so it was all good there. However, once we found a house, we had to wait to get Wifi, and we still have no furniture. But now that I have Wifi once more, the updates should continue. Of course, I'm still job-hunting.**

**Anyways, what did you guys think of this chapter? I put in the bit with Juliet because in this story, Warren doesn't have the same crush he had on the MC, so he probably wouldn't go charging in like he did in Canon. So, I went with something else. Since Chloe made the joke about 'dominating a bitch,' I thought it would be funny if another girl made it known that she was available for such a thing.**

**And before anyone says that I'm making Damon too much of a stud, keep in mind that he's still less popular than Rachel was canonically. He's a hot, British, biker boy with gorgeous silver eyes, abs that won't quit, and the ability to bounce his pecs like Dwayne Johnson. Of course a school full of hormonal teenaged girls are going to turn their heads when we walks by. Still, he's not what one would call a Golden Child, like they all did Rachel. So yeah, I don't think his popularity is far-fetched in the slightest.**


	15. Dark Room - Part 5

**Please check out my Redbubble account! The link is on my profile. **

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* * *

It took us a bit of time, but our investigation led Chloe and I to an old barn on some derelict farm grounds just outside of the town. The place had an unusual amount of electricity running through from what I could tell of the electricity records. A lot. Probably a lot more than a couple of lightbulbs or a retro pulley system. This barn was owned by Harry Aaron Prescott, surprise, surprise. That alone was reason enough for us to be suspicious.

I warned Chloe not to rely on me and my Rewind too much. It's not infinite. We left the house and went for my car. As we arrived at the barn, ignoring a 'No Trespassing' sign, it looked even more rundown and abandoned than it did in the photos on the net. And even as I parked the car outside, I saw some tire tracks leading in and out of the entrance, fresher than one would expect from a barn that looks like no one ever visits.

"Be on your guard," I warned Chloe as we exited my car. "Don't know who, or what, is in there," I added.

"I got my gun." She told me. I nodded in response. "Let's find a way in." She said as we approached the barn. At this point, I kneeled by the tracks to get a closer look.

"These tracks are fresh," I told her.

"Dude, someone was just here." She was surprised.

"You see if you can the door open, I'll try another way," I suggested. She nodded in agreement and walked over to the door, whilst I strode over to the left side of the barn, which had less shrubbery and bushes pressing against it; easier to examine. As I walked, I got two text messages, one from Frank, and one from, surprisingly, Dana.

**Frank: hey damon  
Frank: i just wanted to wish you luck  
Frank: with what little luck i have left  
Damon: I appreciate it. Chloe and I are following a lead right now.  
Damon: I'll let you know ASAP.  
Frank: thx  
Frank: come by the RV if you ever wanna party  
Damon: I stopped 'partying' a long time ago, but I appreciate the offer.  
Damon: Maybe we can hang out once this whole thing dies down.  
Frank: look forward to it**

I smiled as Frank and I finished our brief text conversation. It's clear to me that Frank is a good man, despite his rough exterior, he genuinely cares about Rachel, maybe even loves her. He also cares about Chloe, to an extent, I'm sure of that. I think I just might take up his offer to hang out when this whole thing is over. The text I got from Dana was… interesting.

**Dana: Damon, why is Juliet getting off to you in her room?  
Damon: The fuck?  
Dana: I can hear her  
Dana: "Damon! Oh, Damon! Fuck!"  
Dana: She's not holding back  
Damon: You're her best friend, you tell me.  
Dana: You cannot be THAT good a kisser  
Damon: Apparently I am  
Dana: "work that tongue in me!"  
Damon: Christ…  
Dana: Now I'm curious…  
Dana: Any chance you can dominate two bitches?  
Damon: There we have it ladies and gentleman.  
Damon: Conclusive proof that women are just as horny as men.  
Dana: Don't be an ass!  
Damon: Regardless, aren't you with Trevor right now?  
Dana: Things change  
Dana: Besides, it's not totally serious  
Dana: I think he and Justin have something going  
Dana: If not, they will soon probably  
Damon: Fair enough  
Dana: So?  
Dana: Wanna smash? ^^  
Damon: Find some self-respect…  
Dana: I'm kidding!  
Dana: Mostly  
Dana: Even if I wasn't, wouldn't your gf be OK with it?  
Damon: I'm still not totally sure she wasn't joking.  
Damon: And even if she wasn't, we've been official for less than 24 hours.  
Damon: I don't want to start thinking about threesomes and such just yet.  
Dana: Yet. ;)  
Damon: I'm gonna go now.  
Dana: Get it boi ;)**

I rolled my eyes. Dana, as far as I know, is a rather open person, even in a sexual sense. I don't think it's a bad thing, I'm no prude, but I do believe in having standards and decency. I'm about 90% certain that Dana is kidding around here, but from what I've seen of the female species recently, she might not be. Maybe it's just a Blackwell thing. Not to say I wouldn't mind having Dana or even Juliet in my bed, but right now my focus is on Chloe.

Continuing my examination of the barn, I noticed that while the walls are made of wood, there was one section by the corner covered by a metal sheet. Letting out a thoughtful hum, I moved the sheet to the side and grinned. There was opening behind it, covered by only a single four-inch beam of wood across.

"Hey, Chloe! I found a way in!" I called out. She immediately came jogging over, just in time to see me deliver a swift kick to the beam.

"And Damon Doom strikes again!" She whooped, walking past me and squeezing in through the opening. I followed soon after. "Man, this is way too Blair Witch… I got goosebumps." Chloe gave a light shiver. "And not the good kind." She added. "Hey, check out this old chest." She said as an old wooden chest caught her attention.

"Interesting," I said thoughtfully as she opened the chest. We both coughed as a cloud of dust blew towards us as the lid went up. Dusting it away, we found a number of old documents, photographs, newspaper articles, and such.

"Jackpot… Old shit." Chloe said sarcastically.

"Look closer, Watson," I said, exaggerating my accent a little. "Harry Aaron Prescott and family donate new library to Arcadia Bay." I read out loud

"Prescott Industries celebrates Grand Opening…" Chloe followed. "Prescotts bring bomb shelter boom to town?" Bomb shelter? Hmm, I wonder.

"I'll scope the area. You keep perusing the chest of ancient history." I said dryly.

"Sure thing." She nodded as I walked off.

I found some things that are at least interesting. An old letter from a Prescott written in 1903, warning someone to pay back a debt, a photograph of the barn when it was new, and more tracks inside. The less interesting finds included an old dead tractor, some old farm tools, and a grocery receipt from a time where $10 was a shit load of money. I even found an old selfie of Harry Aaron Prescott.

After a little more exploring, I noticed something underneath some of the hay in the corner of the barn. Underneath, there was metal, instead of ground or wood. That seemed strange, so I took a closer look. Imagine my surprise when I find a large trapdoor in the ground. And it had a massive, brand new padlock keeping it closed. Someone is putting a shit load of effort into making sure no one knows what's happening up here.

Looking around, I tried to find a way to open it. That thing's too big for an MMA kick to break. Sensei could probably do it, but I'm nowhere near her level. No way am I going to be able to break it off. I'm going to have to find something else. Looking around, I smiled when I spotted an old hook used for lifting haystacks. It was attached to a large pulley on the roof. I knew what I was going to do. First thing, I hooked the hook onto the padlock and made sure it was secure. Now I need to get high. Literally.

"Hey, watcha doing?" Chloe asked, having abandoned the chest. I doubt the chest has anything we can use.

"Whoa. That's some Yzma bullshit…" She murmured. "Pull the rope, Kronk." She told me with a grin. I laughed and reached for her belt, playfully of course. "Hey! Wrong rope!" She snapped, though the grin on her face wasn't well hidden. Rolling my eyes, I laughed as I tried to find a way to pull the lock off. It would require a lot of force to break it, and the only force available to Chloe and myself at this very moment would be our own strength, and…

"Gravity," I said out loud.

"What?" Chloe asked, her head tilted. I gave her a 'one-minute' gesture before approaching a platform that I could use to reach the rope on the other end of the pulley.

"Ok, I've never done this before, but I've seen Sensei do it," I said as I removed my jacket and laptop bag.

"Do what?" Chloe asked, concerned, as she took the items from me.

"This." With that, I gave a short run towards one of the pillars next to the platform, jumped up and kicked off of said pillar, which was enough for me to gain the momentum to grab onto the platform, and land one of my feet on the platform. I hung there, sideways, for a split second, before pulling myself up onto said platform.

"Dude! You're fucking Batman!" Chloe cheered with a wide grin.

"No, _you're _fucking Batman," I responded with a cheeky smirk, groaning slightly.

"Haha." Chloe gave a sarcastic laugh as I stood up. I think I bruised my thigh. Yeah, not trying that again until I train with Sensei more. "I have got to meet this Sensei chick." Chloe sounded impressed.

"Maybe one day." I shook my head in amusement as I pulled up to the next platform. I found the other end of the rope, which I could not pull without tearing my flesh off, so that was out. "Oooh!" I grinned widely as something caught my attention; a barn owl. Mum loves owls. I'd love to take a photo, but my camera is in my laptop bag, which is on the ground with Chloe. So I made do with my cellphone camera. It doesn't compare to a real camera, but I can take pretty good photos with it if I really want to. No way am I passing this up. "Hello, Doctor Hoo." I smiled as I took the photo. Hey, I'm a Brit, I can make that joke!

Now on to finding a way to pry that padlock off.

I noticed an old motor that had wheels attached and smiled widely. Bingo. It was made of solid steel, mostly, and was rather heavy, so it should be good for prying that lock off. With that in mind, I attached the other end of the rope, from the pulley to the motor with a tight knot, also taught to me by Sensei when we were working on dislocating joints to escape bindings. Anyways, with the rope now attached, I rolled the motor over to the edge of the platform.

"Look out below!" I called out to my girlfriend, who quickly scurried out the way. Satisfied that she wasn't in any danger, I pushed the motor off the platform, taking the rope down with it, and pulling the lock right off. With my job done, I hopped off of the platform, grabbed onto one of the pillars, and slid down, landing a Robert Downey Jr pose, simply because I'm that awesome.

"Dude, that was badass," Chloe grinned like a maniac. Grinning back, we approached the now unlocked trapdoor and pulled it open. "Damn, this is heavy." Chloe gave a light grunt. It actually kind of was, but we got it open easily enough.

"Ok, creep factor rising the triple digits now," I remarked as we saw what was under the trapdoor. Part of me expected to find a makeshift coffin, where Rachel was, morbid as it sounds. Or maybe even a huge stash of drugs, or some other dangerous shit. I didn't expect a stairwell leading down.

"You can say that again." Chloe agreed as she stepped in and down the stairs. I followed.

We came down to a rather large steel door, like the ones found in bank vaults. It had a huge security wheel on it, as well as a keypad on the side. Someone really didn't want this place to be found. Chloe and I both tried to open it with the wheel alone, but it quickly became apparent that that wouldn't work. Then something hit my mind. I remember, in the bag I found in Nathan's room earlier, there was a small piece of paper with several numbers on it, one of which was the passcode to his burner phone, which was one big factor that lead us here in the first place. And, on the keypad, the most blurred keys were 2, 4, and 5. On the piece of paper, there was the number 542.

"Hmm…" I hummed, tapping in the code '542' into the pad. The red light turned green, and the mechanism in the door opened. "Photographic memory for the win." I grinned, twisting the security wheel.

"Nice." Chloe grinned, something she's been doing a lot today. It may have something to do with the glow she has about her, hehe. I take full credit. She still has a slight limp. As we pulled the door open together, we were hit by a sudden wave of cool air. Internal air conditioning.

As we walked in, we were greeted to the sight of, what at first glance appears to be, a survival bunker. It was packed with canned foods, numerous water bottles, dried foods, medicine, even a few liquor bottles. Seems someone was preparing for the end of the world. That was just the first bit though. There was more ahead.

"This place is stacked for the apocalypse," Chloe commented as we walked through the first room. "Must have cost a fortune."

"Pocket change for a Prescott," I remarked dryly.

"True dat," Chloe put on an amused smile. Little did I know it would be the last smile she put on today.

The next room seemed much more sinister. It was a photography room, no doubt about that. Fancy cameras, fancy lighting equipment, fancy tripods, and a fancy as fuck printer. Part of me wanted to geek out at the amazing equipment, but I refrained. This all seemed so… familiar. Kate mentioned that she was brought to a bright white room that she mistook for a hospital. I'd bet anything this is the place Nathan brought her to. But that means.

"Dark room…" I whispered, seeing Nathan's jacket over the couch.

"What?" Chloe asked.

"Rachel in the Dark Room," I remembered Nathan's loosely named drawing, making Chloe's eyes widen. "Rachel was here, and so was Kate," I said as I approached the desk in the corner of the room, one with a ridiculously expensive computer on it. There was also a receipt, for the whole bunker. "Shite…" I mumbled, showing her the receipt.

"That's almost 1.4 mil!" She gasped, looking closer. "And guess who the recipient is?" She asked sarcastically.

"Sean Prescott." We said in unison as I pulled out my laptop, connecting it to the computer on the desk. "That's about 7 or 800 thousand quid, maybe even more," I said as I started up the password recovery program, using it to hack into the computer. "If there was ever any doubt a Prescott put this all together, there isn't anymore," I said as I input the password received. "Ok, let's see what we got here…" I mumbled as I perused the icons. "Printed." I read, opening the folder labeled as such. Inside it, there were even more folders, each labelled with a name. "Victoria?" I asked the air as I opened the folder. "Empty," I announced, pressing the back icon.

"Next one says Kate," Chloe observed. I opened the folder and gasped. Inside were a number of photos of Kate, posed, drugged up, and completely unaware of anything going on around her. It was uncannily similar to the photo I took for the Everyday Heroes Contest.

"Holy hell…" I whispered, staring at the photos in horror. "She completely out of it… And the one labeled 'Victoria' is empty." I widened my eyes in realization.

"Nathan must be planning to dose her tonight." Chloe realized as I closed the folder. "Next one is…" She gulped, terror showing on her face. "Rachel…" She breathed out. Most reluctantly, I opened the folder. Chloe let out a high sob at the sight. Rachel, in similar poses as what Kate was in. There were even a few where she looked totally aware and fucking furious before she was dosed more and posed. "Damon, please tell me that these are posed shots." Chloe all but begged.

"I… don't think so, Chloe," I said honestly. "Her expressions are just too… natural." I said, for lack of a better term.

"There's nothing fucking natural about this Damon!" Chloe yelled in rage, although I sense that it wasn't directed at me.

"Chloe, that expression can't be faked. Not this well." I shook my head in sorrow.

"No." She denied, shaking her head. "N-Nathan probably paid her a shit load of cash to do it, she probably would…" She started shaking.

"Who are you trying to convince?" I asked. "Me? Or you?" I asked as I brought up the next photo. "Oh dear God…" I whispered, covering my mouth as I saw what the photo was of. It was outdoors, somewhere, and Rachel had been placed in a hole in the ground. Nathan had passed out right above the hole.

"Damon…" Chloe's voice was so soft I almost didn't hear it. "Please… please tell me this is a posed shot!" She begged, her eyes threatening to well up. "Why is he putting her in the ground like that?!" She screamed.

"Chloe… I… I don't…" I couldn't form an answer. There was no way I could answer the question in a way that wouldn't set her off. Chloe might be in denial, but I'm not. I know exactly what this photograph entails. There's one thing about it that bugs me, besides the obvious of course. "Where is this?" I asked, setting that thought aside for now.

"The junkyard!" Chloe exclaimed in realization as she stared at the photo, her feelings of horror turning to shock. "Damon, I know that spot! We have to get there now!" She ran for the door. "Then we can see what the did!" her voice died out as she ran. I looked at the photo with narrowed eyes. Besides what the photo showed, there was something off about it, something I'd address with Chloe later. That in mind, I clicked print, and like the ridiculously expensive piece of equipment it was, the printer spewed out a printed copy of the photo almost immediately. I grabbed it, folded it, and placed it in my back pocket, running after Chloe once I had all of my stuff back.

* * *

Chloe had taken it upon herself to hop into the driver's seat of my car and turn the car around. She opened the door for me to get in, but she didn't give me enough time t close the door, let alone put my seatbelt on before she punched it. I almost fell out of the car when she shot out towards the road. She was frantic. I tried to tell her to slow down or drive more carefully, but I don't think she could hear me. Her emotions were clouding her thoughts; all she seemed to be able to think about was that photo of Rachel and trying to find a way in her head to prove that she wasn't dead.

We stopped just outside of the junkyard after about 20 minutes of dangerous driving. Thankfully, both the barn and junkyard were outside of the town's general infrastructure, so we didn't drive past any cars on the way. As we stopped, Chloe didn't even take the keys out of the ignition or pull the hand brake up. She just opened the door and ran. I quickly turned the car off and pulled the hand brake before following her. She was frantically searching for the spot the photo displayed.

"Damon! Over here!" She cried, running. I followed. She stopped at a small, isolated corner that definitely matched the photograph. Immediately, she fell to her hands and knees and started digging. "Are you going to help me, Damon!?" She cried as she dug. I dropped to my hands and knees and started digging with her. After a few moments, we came across what seemed to be a plastic bag… "No… Please no!" Chloe cried as I tore open the bag.

"Fuck!" I cursed loudly as a foul stench hit my nose. It was had to be the scent of decay and death. "That smell…" I whispered.

"No. Rachel no!" Chloe screamed as we saw the face of one Rachel Amber. She was decomposed greatly, but it was definitely her. "Please no her! Nooo!" She screeched as she crawled away, the emotion and the smell being enough to drive her to vomit. I had a stronger stomach than that. Still, the smell made me nauseous.

When she was done, I crawled over to Chloe and held her close as she sobbed in fetal position. "Chloe…" I closed my eyes, tears welling up as hers poured.

"I loved her so much!" She cried, gripping my jacket, pressing her face into my chest. "How can she be dead?!" She sobbed as I hugged her tightly. "What kind of world does this? Who does this?!" Her voice cracked as she mourned the loss of Rachel. She truly loved her.

As I held my sobbing love close to my chest, something in the distance caught my attention, something familiar. It was the wolf from my vision, the one that guided me to the lighthouse. It was staring right at me through those intelligent crimson eyes. The eyes showed a strange sorrow. And after barely a few moments, the wolf disappeared from sight. It didn't walk or run away, it just slowly faded out of sight. I don't know what that wolf is exactly. All I know is that the woman I love is currently grieving in my arms, and all I can do is hold her.

"_Rachel…" _I thought to myself as Chloe cried into my chest. _"I wish I could have met you…" _Regardless of how much Rachel may have hurt Chloe, she didn't deserve this. _"I'll get you the justice you deserve. I promise." _I thought as I softly kissed Chloe's head.

* * *

**And there we have another chapter of Arcadia Duo, FINALLY. I've been waiting to get to this part of the story for so long. This is where things get REALLY good. I've got some awesome shit planned for Victoria, Nathan, and Jefferson too. I can't wait to get into it. **

**This chapter isn't as long as I wanted it to be, truthfully. But come on, how could I end a chapter anywhere but here? Don't worry though. I'm quite certain the next one will be significantly longer. It'll probably cover the remainder of Episode 4. Here though, I'm particularly proud of the reference to 'The Emperor's New Groove' and the texting with Dana. I thought those were pretty funny.**

**Thx for reading ya'll!**


	16. Dark Room - Part 6

Chloe's crying into my shoulder didn't last as long as one would think. After a few minutes, she pulled away from me, picked up a broken pipe from one of the garbage piles, and started raging on the various items in sight. The boat, the bus, some of the cars, even the little shack structure that she and Rachel used to hang out in. She'd crossed over from denial to anger really quickly. All the while, I was leaning against my car, staring at the photo of Rachel and Nathan. There was something about it that bugged me greatly, beyond the obvious contents.

"Damon." Chloe's voice brought me out of my thoughts. She approached, her eyes fierce and enraged. "Let's get to Blackwell. I'm going to kill the bastard." She growled, tossing the pipe aside.

"That may be premature," I told her, frowning at the photo.

"The fuck are you talking about?" Chloe demanded.

"Look at the photo." I turned the image so that she could see it.

"Damon, I don't want to see that anymore." She said, her voice dropping as she looked away.

"Chloe…" I whispered. She sucked in a deep breath and let it out, looking at me with frustration before looking at the photo.

"Nathan's putting her in the ground." She said, looking back up at me.

"Who took the photo?" I asked her, my eyebrow raised. She made to answer as if what she was going to say was completely obvious, but she stopped when it hit her. Her eyes wide, she looked at the photo again. "If Rachel's dead, and Nathan is passed out next to her, who's holding the camera?" I asked of her.

"Tripod?" She asked, looking up at me again.

I shook my head. "The ground isn't that flat, and I don't know of any tripod brands that can allow for such a straight photo." I frowned.

"You think Nathan didn't do it?" She asked.

"I have no doubt that he was involved." I clarified, pocketing the photo. "But I'm not convinced that he was the mastermind," I told her.

"Then who was?" She demanded fiercely. I frowned, the thought in my head not being a good one. "Damon? You have an idea, don't you?" She asked.

"Let's just hope against all odds that I'm wrong." I sighed, opening the Driver's door and slipping into my car. "We can grab Nathan and squeeze it out of him," I said as Chloe entered the car as well.

"Who do you think it is?" She asked.

"For the sake of my sanity, I'm going to keep that to myself," I told her. Though the reason I gave was true, I also wasn't telling her because I didn't completely trust her to not rage at Nathan once we see him, let alone my suspect. With a deep breath, I started the car and drove off towards Blackwell.

This ends tonight.

* * *

"Wow, and here I thought that life was looking up for you," I said dryly as Warren hung off of my shoulder. Chloe and I arrived at Blackwell and immediately headed in towards the Vortex party. We'd stopped for a moment when Warren had suddenly showed up, pissed drunk, and barely functioning.

"You're a fucking bastard…" Warren slurred. "I tried, I really did, but Brooke wants to get into your pants, not miiiiiine..." He stretched the last word out like a child saying 'weeee.' He is not a good drunk. Chloe, however, was crossing her arms and tapping her foot in impatience.

"Warren, I'd really like to help you, but I have something I need to do right now," I told him.

"Whoa!" Warren whooped as he swiped my camera from my bag.

"Warren!" I snapped in annoyance, trying to grab the camera.

"Say cheese!" He snapped a selfie. As soon as he did, I grabbed the camera, as it printed the picture. It showed half of Warren's plastered face, and the other half showed me walking up, looking annoyed.

"A masterpiece," I said sarcastically as I put my camera back in my bag. "There, you got your selfie, are you happy now?" I asked of him, rolling my eyes.

"How did you get Brooke to like you?" he slurred, sipping his beer. I Instantly swiped it out of his hand and tossed it aside. He didn't seem to notice. "Why is it… that all the ripped, handsome, bad boys like you, always get the girls?" he asked, stumbling. "I mean, I'm nice, I'm smart, I can cook, didja know that?" he asked me, leaning on me again. "But all that doesn't mean shit in front of a handsome face, even if the face owner… has a rotten personality." He sighed.

"Alright, that's enough," I said, grabbing his arm. I pulled him towards my body and caught him in a Blood Choke. It's more commonly known as a Sleeper Hold, but I like the name Blood Choke much better.

"The fuck!" Chloe yelped when she saw what I was doing. Warren tried to resist, but his eyes rolled back, and he fell limp in hold within seconds.

"A little trick that sensei taught me," I told her, moving Warren to the tree, laying him against it. "He's just unconscious. He'll be fine." I assured her. She nodded as we continued on inside.

"Let's split up." She told me. "I'll search around the pool, you see if you can get into the VIP section." She told me. "They're more likely to let you in than me." She said. I nodded in agreement and we went our separate directions.

I got some major flashbacks to my early hellraising days in England. The soda cans and disposable cups everywhere, the random teens making out with other teens they don't know, the obvious weed smoke, and the not-so-subtly hidden booze bottles. Yeah, it brings back memories. I actually lost my virginity at a party like this. I got tipsy and was dragged outside by a girl with whom I shared a few classes.

Anyway, I quickly made my way to the VIP center. They had a receptionist and a guard to make sure the outside riff-raff don't get in. Seriously, how pretentious can you get?

"Members only." The guard, I don't really care what his name is, said with a small smirk.

"This non-member decked one of your members in the face, remember?" I asked, my eyebrow raised. "I need to speak with one of the members, _pronto._" I persisted.

"Do it on your own time." He grinned smugly. I narrowed my eyes at him and walked away. Time to do this my way.

I needed to get around the Vortex Club's little guard so that I could find Nathan, or at least speak to Victoria. If anyone knew where Nathan was, it would be her. If not, I could at least warn her of what Nathan has in store for her. She might not believe, and who can blame her, but I don't think she deserves what Nathan does to those girls with his mystery partner. So, with that in mind, I quickly schemed to find a way into the VIP section. I could just swim across and enter through the back, but I have stuff on me that I wouldn't want to get wet, and I'd rather not leave it behind. We'll call that plan B.

I needed to distract the guard in some way. Then I can get in, and rewind to a point before the distraction so he doesn't come looking for me. Then again… Maybe I don't need to distract him? Maybe I can just get him out of the way and rewind. Sensei always told me that the simplest solutions are often the best ones. So, with that in mind, I smirked and headed right back to the guard, my plan in motion.

"What do you want now?" The guard asked with a roll of his eyes.

"Sorry, I forgot something," I said with a polite smile.

"And what might that be?" He asked snarkily.

"This," I said simply as I delivered a spinning hook kick to his head. The receptionist girl screamed as the guy was knocked into unconsciousness, and then into the pool. I even heard a few cries of approval and shock from the crowd. Still, they couldn't do anything before I quickly swooped in through the fabric door and rewound. The cries of shock and approval were quickly replaced by the music before. Damn, I love this rewind.

Smirking, I strolled through the area, finding it a lot cleaner and much more enjoyable than the outside party, loathe as I am to admit it. The dancing was better, the people who were making out, or even fucking, were more subtle about it, or at least they weren't making a huge show of it. Juliet and Zachary were making out on one of the couches. I wanted to separate them, but decided against as I had more pressing matters to get to. I just hope Zachary doesn't pull any revenge porn shit.

Honestly though, what is it with these party girls having no standards? I was the VIP section for all of five minutes, and I'd already been propositioned by three drunk girls. Christ, people don't learn at Blackwell, do they? There was one girl passed out on one of the couches, another girl was getting bent over in the corner, out of sight from everyone else, and let's not get started with what was happening in the bathroom. Not to mention the number of stray pairs of panties and bras I've found. Shite.

After a short, but daunting search, I finally spotted Victoria. Sighing in relief, I walked over to her and placed my hand on her shoulder, grabbing her attention. Her dancing smile quickly turned into a frown. "Sorry Damon, members only." She said cattily.

"I don't have time for your bullshit Victoria, we need to talk," I told her firmly.

"Why? So you can hit me again?" She snarked, crossing her arms.

"This important Victoria." I persisted.

"I'm not interested." She spat. "Just go and fuck the blue hair whore of yours." She faced away.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I asked after a moment of silence. "Are you that upset by the fact that I didn't take you up on your propositions?" I asked incredulously. "Is it such a huge blow to your precious ego that the sexy English guy in school didn't fall for your seductions?" I demanded.

"That's what you think is the problem?" She asked with a humorless, self-deprecating laugh, pinching the bridge of her nose. It was unusual on her, to say the least. "Fine. Let's go out back, shall we?" She asked, grabbing my wrist and pulling me to a quieter spot, just outside the gym. "You wanna know what my problem is?" She looked at me with tears welling in her eyes. Wait, what? "My problem is that the one guy I have ever truly liked doesn't feel an inkling towards me." She spat.

"Wait, what?" I asked, taken aback.

"For God's sakes Damon!" She howled and anger and sadness. "You're smart, you're creative, you love photography, and I've seen you reading manga like a total otaku in the courtyard." She listed. Wait, I do recall seeing figurines when I was in Victoria's room… "Also, you don't give a shit what other people say or think about you, you have the body of Greek God, and an accent that makes me weak at my knees." She went on, her face flushing slightly as she admitted everything she liked about me. "I looked at you when you first walked into our class together, and I saw Mr Right." She let out a light sob, one almost inaudible. "I practically threw myself at you, and you shot me down!" She exclaimed.

"Victoria… I…" I was shocked. I had no idea Victoria actually had these feelings for me. With Kate, she was easy to read. Blushing, stuttering, smiling, losing focus when looking into my eyes, it was easy to see Kate's little crush on me. Victoria, however, just kept trying to seduce me. I thought she just wanted a piece of the sexy British boy in class. I didn't know she actually liked me. Maybe even loved me. Some people fall in love very quickly. "I didn't know." I finally said.

"Of course you didn't know." She snapped. "As far as you're concerned, I'm just the Queen bitch who wants to ride the British boy, and then drop him like a rock, right?" She snarled, her tears staining her cheeks.

"Well, it's not like you did anything to imply you were anything else." I shot back. "All the insults you've thrown at people Alyssa, Daniel, and Kate, the way you were about to break into my room and probably trash it, and that fucking video." I had to hold back a snarl at that. "Why did it take Kate trying to kill herself for you to try and delete it?" I asked her.

"We weren't even going to post it!" She swore. "But, Taylor, Courtney, and I had some wine, and we got stupid." She sighed, shaking her head. Suddenly, she looked at me with narrowed eyes. "How did you know I tried to delete it?" She asked me. "I couldn't take down the website because the password wasn't working…" She said.

"I thought I was being incredibly obvious when I set it up," I said, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Who is the Angel of Death, Victoria?" I asked her blankly.

"Azreal, what does that…" She trailed off, her eyes wide. "Azreal, Azrail… It was you! You made the virus you son of a bitch!" She pointed at me with angry eyes.

"Yes, yes I did." I sighed, rubbing my hand down my face.

"Do you have any idea how much crap people have been giving me for that?" She demanded.

"Crap over lost nudes, replaceable music, and phone game high scores?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, making her blanch. "I doubt it compares to the crap Kate had to go through when you first put up the video." I reminded her, making her stop.

"I…" She tried to come up with a response, but could only slump. Ugh, fine.

"The password is Retribution94, with a capital R," I told her, surprising her. "You can take down the site with that," I said, putting my hands in my pockets.

"I…" She tried to say something, but couldn't seem to think of a response.

"I don't understand you, you know that?" I asked her tiredly. She let out a humorless chuckle.

"That makes two of us." She said softly, wiping her tears. "I'm just here to become a photographer, not the President." She told me. "Sometimes I just feel like I have to overcompensate, and I don't even know what for." She sighed.

"You have talent Victoria; you don't need to push people out of your way," I told her.

"Thank you…" She said, a small smile gracing her pretty face. "Do you think it's… Fate? That we're not supposed to be friends?" She asked. "Or… more?" She gained a small blush.

"You know…" I trailed off with a sigh. "In another life, I probably would have chased after you like a lovestruck teenager," I told her, my experience in the alternate timeline flashing in my head.

"But, with Kari Price in the picture…" She trailed off, slightly bitter.

"Chloe." I corrected her. "But yes," I affirmed. "She and I grew up together. We met in daycare and were the best of friends ever since." I explained, memories flashing through my eyes. "Regardless, I don't think we have to be enemies," I told her. "We're both into photography and art, we're weird and pretentious, and we both have members of the opposite sex chasing after us tirelessly." She put on a small, amused smile.

"Maybe we're just too alike…" She whispered.

"And just so different at the same time," I added.

"There might be a spot in the Vortex Club for you yet." She told me.

"Maybe," I responded. "Just maybe." I still need to do deal with this whole Nathan thing.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" She asked, not so subtly changing the subject.

"Victoria, you're in danger," I told her, plain and simple. Was taken aback at the sudden change in my tone. "This past week, I've been investigating what happened to Kate and Rachel Amber," I explained, pulling out a few photos of the Dark Room that I'd taken. "Nathan is involved in a scheme to kidnap girls from Blackwell, does them, and takes pictures of their drugged state," I told her, handing her the photos. She looked at them with wide eyes, horrified by what she saw. There were even a few photos of the images on the computer, of Kate and Rachel.

"Nathan did this?" Victoria asked, completely aghast at what she'd learned. "This can't be… I knew Nathan had little meltdowns, but… this?" She looked at me with wide eyes.

"He's working with someone," I told her. "On the computer, I found several folders with all these photos. Each folder was labeled with the names of the various victims." I went on.

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked, gulping slightly. She clearly dreaded my answer.

"There was an empty folder labeled with your name," I said gently, prompting a horrified gasp. "Victoria, you're next," I said urgently. She looked on the verge of a panic attack, but was able to take a deep, calming breath.

"Are you sure about this?" She asked me. I nodded seriously. "He… Nathan has been freaking me out lately." She admitted. "He's been more angry than usual, and his little meltdowns aren't so little anymore." She went on, nodding. "OK, I believe you." She decided. "I haven't seen Nathan at all today." She added.

"Alright then, stay close to your friends, and don't go off alone with _anyone, _ok?" I asked of her.

"I'll let you boss me around just this once." She gave a light huff, making me smile. "Thank you for warning me Damon, it's nice to know you care." She said in an honest tone, walking back inside.

"And be careful what you drink!" I called out to her as she opened the door. She nodded to me as she opened the door. Mere seconds after she entered, however, Chloe exited, and stomped her way over to me. "Anything?" I asked of her.

"Nothing." She growled, clearly frustrated.

"Nothing in the VIP either." I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Nathan's nowhere to be seen." I said.

"Fuck!" Chloe cursed, gripping her hair in frustration.

"Maybe he's in his dorm?" I suggested.

"Who?" A friendly voice asked, making me jump. It was Jefferson, putting on his usual friendly grin. "Sorry Damon, didn't mean to startle you." he laughed.

"Don't worry about it," I told him, putting on a convincing fake smile. "Have you seen Nathan, Sir?" I asked of him.

"I didn't know you and he were friends," he said with a confused expression.

"We're not, but I need to speak with him. It's urgent." I pressed. Chloe was quiet this whole time.

"I haven't seen him since this afternoon." He shrugged.

"Well, alright then, we'll look elsewhere," I told him, taking Chloe by the hand and walking off with her.

"You're not going to stay for the party?" he asked.

"I'm not a party boy anymore," I told him.

"Fair enough." He laughed, heading inside, probably to announce the winner of the Everyday Hero contest, which will most likely be Victoria.

* * *

"What do we do now?" Chloe asked, her anger still palpable. We'd been leaning against my car for the past hour trying to think of where Nathan might be, with no luck.

"I don't know," I said honestly. I was about to suggest searching his dorm, if only for a clue, because I don't think he'll be there, when I got a notification off my phone. My eyes widened as I saw what it was. "Voicemail… From Nathan." Chloe and I shared a look. Immediately, I played the message.

"_Damon… it's me…" _Nathan's voice came from the phone. He sounded sad, broken. He was sobbing. _"I never wanted to hurt anyone… Not Kate… Not Rachel… I just… He used me! Everyone used me!" _He sobbed. _"He's coming for me… I failed, and now he's going to kill me. I never should have listened to him." _He sniffed. _"Watch out Damon, he's after you now." _He said resignedly. And the message ended.

"Fuck…" I whispered.

"Couldn't say who could ya?" Chloe snarked at the phone as I started dialing. "What are you doing?" Chloe asked.

"Calling him back," I responded, holding the phone to my ear. "Come on, pick up, pick up…" I whispered as the phone rang. Suddenly, I heard the tell-tale sign of someone picking up their phone. "Nathan!" I cried out loud. "Are you there?" I demanded.

"_Damon?" _He asked, his voice sounding like he'd lost all hope.

"Nathan, where are you?" I demanded of him.

"_It doesn't matter… I'm going to die tonight." _He mumbled.

"Not if I can help it." I snapped. "Where the fuck are you?" I growled.

"_Why do you care?"_

"Because you need help. Not persecution, not execution. Professional. Help." I pressed.

"_It's too late for that Damon." _He sniffed. _"He's already on his way… He's going to kill me…" _He had no hope. _"He made me feel… needed, like I wasn't such a failure. But he used me… Just like everyone else." _He said hopelessly.

"I never used you," I growled into the phone.

"_What?" _

"I never used you, I never called you a failure, and I never treated you like a freak, Nathan." I spat. "You're damaged, Nathan, but if it weren't for that, you and I could have been the best of friends you fucking idiot!" I snapped. Everything was silent for a moment.

"_R-really?" _He asked, a small spark of hope in his tone.

"Yes, really." I pressed. "Now, _please _Nathan, tell me where you are." I all but begged.

"_I'm at the junkyard." _He finally told me.

"Ok, good." I gestured urgently to Chloe to get in the car. She immediately did so, hopping into the passenger seat. "Don't move, I'm on my way, got it?" I asked. "I'll be there ASAP," I promised. "I won't let you die tonight."

"_Thank you, Damon, but it's too late," _Nathan told me. _"He's here… It's too late."_

"Nathan!" I exclaimed. "Nathan, talk to me!" I practically ordered him.

"_Thanks for making me feel like I mattered, even if for tonight." _He said genuinely. I suddenly heard a gunshot on the other side of the line. I covered my mouth in horror as the line was cut.

"God no…" I said as I put the phone down.

"Damon, what happened?" Chloe demanded.

"Nathan's dead," I said, clenching my fist. Letting out a growl, I started the car. "We have to get to the junkyard," I told her, driving off. Since it was so late at night, there few cars on the road, so I didn't bother holding back on the speed.

* * *

We arrived at the junkyard relatively quickly. Immediately, I stopped the vehicle, right at the entrance, and we hopped out. "Gun out Chloe," I told my girlfriend as I unholstered my own weapon. She did the same. "Do not. Make. A sound." I whispered. She nodded as we slowly stalked our way through the junkyard.

It was deathly quiet and incredibly dark. Thankfully, I was accustomed to dark areas and quickly adapted my sight. It was clear that two different cars had been here, given the tracks I could see. However, I couldn't see either one of them. I knew Nathan drove a red truck, not unlike Chloe's, and in order to get here, he would have had to use said truck. He doesn't have access to another one. At least, as far as I know.

It was an exhilarating and terrifying experience, stalking through the junkyard, knowing that there was a homicidal maniac somewhere, just waiting to try and kill us. Is this how cops feel when they pursue criminals? It's… intoxicating. I may seriously need to reconsider my career choice. The investigation has been an amazing experience. Maybe I could enroll at the Police Academy in Portland? I'd have to wait until I'm 21, but it could work out.

Of course, I have to focus on what I'm doing right now first.

After several painstakingly long moments of stalking through the junkyard's darkness, we eventually come to Rachel's burial site. It was intact, from what I could tell at first glance, but who knows how long the Mastermind behind this whole thing has been hiding around here. As soon as we got to her, Chloe crouched down and dug some of the dirt away. The body bag was still there, as was Rachel's body.

"She's still here," Chloe said with a sigh, staring at the body with sadness and longing.

"Chloe, I-" I stopped when I felt a sharp sting in my neck. "Ow!" I snapped, gripping my neck. Immediately, Chloe snapped her head towards me and stood up, about to aim her gun, but another shot was heard, and Chloe fell to the ground, a bullet hole in her head. "Ch-Chloe!" I tried to yell, but whatever was injected into me was strong. I was already stumbling. I tried to Rewind, but it didn't happen. The drugs were stopping it.

As I fell to the ground, I looked up at my attacker.

"I knew it was you… Fucking… bastard…" I slurred, my vision getting blurry. I tried to fight it, but I couldn't keep my eyes.

"You always were too smart for your own good Damon," Jefferson said, his tone dark, his expression hard.

* * *

**Da-dada-daaaah! Episode four is done! Hurray! It's a miracle! Party!**

**Ok, first question, what did ya'll think about the heart-to-heart with Victoria? I thought it was fitting, given the happenings between them. That was something I planned on the whole time, Victoria confessing strong feelings towards Damon. I'm quite proud of that part. I also altered the way things went with Nathan, as you can see, which I really like.**

**Funny thing, this episode has been the longest of them all so far, with a total of six parts! Six chapters dedicated to the fourth episode of Life is Strange. I hadn't expected any of them to go past four parts, truthfully. I doubt anyone's complaining though, right?**

**Next update will probably be HLT. I'm also considering a Shield Hero story(Awesome anime, btw.) Oh, whatever will happen will happen I guess.**


	17. Polarized - Part 1

I don't know how long it took me to wake up. Even when I did though, my vision was blurry and unfocused. I saw a number of flashes of light go off every few seconds; flashes I'd know anywhere. The flashes of a camera. Someone's taking pictures, though I'm sure what of. They don't seem to be directed at me though, I can say that much. It could have been 10 minutes, or maybe an hour, but I eventually managed to get a stable vision again, and I was able to see where I was.

The Dark Room.

The flashes had stopped, meaning that Jefferson had stopped taking photos. Even in my slightly loopy state, I could see that he was no longer in the room. I was sitting on the desk chair, my hands zip-tied behind my back, with the chair set to the left of the couch, against the wall, so that I could see the white screen that Jefferson used to keep the backgrounds of his photos neutral so that the flash doesn't reflect off of anything. In the center of the white screen, was a chair, with Victoria strapped to it with duct tape.

"Victoria!" I hissed as best as I could. I couldn't see Jefferson, but I wasn't about to assume he wasn't present. "Victoria, can you hear me?" I asked her, my voice hushed, but still loud. The girl stirred in the chair, groaning slightly. Her eyelids flickered, but didn't open. "Victoria, wake up!" I hissed. "Come on Tori!" I snapped.

Her eyes flickered open. "I've always wanted you to call me Tori…" She mumbled through her drugged state as awareness slowly crawled back to her. "Damon… Oh my God… Where are we?" She asked, paling drastically. "What's happening?" She was terrified.

"We've been drugged, and kidnapped, like Kate," I told her softly. "Do you remember how you got here?" I asked her.

"N-no… I…" She started hyperventilating. "I remember… You warned me about Nathan, so I went to Mr Jefferson for help…" Her breath hitched through her slur. "He was acting so weird… And… That's the last thing I remember…" She sobbed. "Damon… I can't move!" She looked at me desperately. "Please help me! I'm sorry for everything!" She cried, tears falling down her cheeks like waterfalls.

"Listen to me Victoria," I said sternly. "Jefferson kidnapped us. "He killed Nathan, and…" I suppressed an enraged growl in my throat. "And Chloe." I spat. "He's dangerous, and we need to get out of here before he returns, understand?" I asked her.

"Damon… I just… Can't believe this is real…" She let out. "I don't want to die like this… I'm only 18." She sniffled.

"Listen to me." I snapped, getting her attention. "I will not let you die here today," I told her firmly. "Enough people have died because of Jefferson, and I refuse to let his body count grow any higher. I promise you, I will get you out of here." I swore to her. "But, I need you to be strong, can you do that for me?" I asked gently.

"Damon… I'm not strong…" She hung her head, utterly defeated. "Look at what I did to Kate…" She hiccuped. "Now she's in the hospital, and I'm here…"

"So am I," I told her. "No way in hell am I going to let you die without apologizing to Kate, live and in person, understand?" I asked firmly. She looked up at me through her teary eyes.

"I'd give anything to see Kate again, just to tell her I'm sorry…" She whispered.

"I'll make sure you get that chance, I promise you, Tori," I told her. Her cheeks dusted a light pink, in spite of the situation.

"I trust you…" She whispered, finally. I smiled at her.

"Ok, now we need to get out of here…" I mumbled to myself, fiddling with zip tie around my wrists. "Sensei taught about a technique that allows you to dislocate your wrists, and squeeze out of bindings…" I thought out loud.

"You can do that?" Victoria asked hesitantly.

"I've done it a few times, so I know the logistics," I responded, fumbling a little on the desk chair. "Still, only a few times. Left for Arcadia before Sensei and I could get to mastering it…" I mumbled. "But, I should be able to get it done without any permanent damage." I sighed.

"Damon…" She trailed off worriedly as I positioned my wrists.

"Oh, this is really going to hurt," I whined, swallowing the lump in my throat. And then, I applied the necessary pressure. My back instantly arched at the sudden pain, and I let out a loud cry of pain as I felt my joints snapping out of their rightful place with a vaguely familiar 'pop.' Words cannot describe how much it hurt.

"Damon!" Victoria cried out in fear. I didn't respond. I just let out short, shallow breaths in rapid succession as I slowly eased my hands out of the zip tie. To give credit where it's due, this technique does work. Unfortunately, since I only trained and practiced with this little trick for a brief amount of time, it still hurt like a motherfucker.

"Agh!" I let out a loud, pained grunt as I rested my forearms on my knees, finally free.

"Holy shit…" Victoria whispered, her eyes wide. "You really are the Blackwell Ninja…" I allowed a slight, pained chuckle to escape me as I relocated my wrists, the relief easing the pain somewhat.

"I really hope that I never have to do that again…" I groaned, rubbing my wrists. After taking a few moments to catch my breath and let the stars fade from my vision, I stood up and approached Victoria. "Let's get you out of here," I said to her simply.

"Damon…" She smiled at me, happier than I've seen her smile tonight. As I searched about for something to cut the duct tape with, I suddenly heard the telltale sound of the vault door opening, making both of us freeze. "He's coming!" She squeaked. Frantically, I grabbed the discarded zip line, stuffed it into my back pocket, and sat back on the desk chair, my hands behind me.

"Listen to me, he doesn't know that I'm not zip-tied anymore." I hissed under my breath. "Just stay calm, and I can take him by surprise, understand?" I asked. She nodded frantically as the door opened. We saw Jefferson enter the room in a raincoat.

"Wow, you should see it out there." He said with a sigh, removing the raincoat and tossing it aside. "You both shook off those drugs faster than I'd anticipated." He told us. "Then again, Queen Bitch has access to weed, and Biker Boy has anxiety pills." He remarked. "Why am I surprised?" He asked himself.

"I'm going to kill you," I told him, simple and straightforward, a death glare on my face.

"Yes, I killed your girlfriend, Rachel's stalker." He returned with an eye-roll.

"You sick bastard." I spat. "When I get out of this, I'll-"

"Kick my ass, murder me, make me pay, or some other kind of threat that involves bodily harm?" He asked tiredly.

"What do you even hope to accomplish with this crusade of yours?" I demanded. No matter how angry I am, I need to know. Before anything else, I need to know.

"I am so glad you asked Damon." Jefferson smiled brightly, crouching down in front of me to eye-level. "Simply put, I'm obsessed with the idea of capturing that moment where innocence evolves into corruption." He explained, still smiling. "That shift from black to white, to grey, and beyond." He said wistfully. "Most models are cynical, they lose that naivete." He shook his head. "But most Blackwell students carry their hope and optimism around them like an aura. And those lucky few, become my models. My subjects." He went on.

"Victims." I spat out in correction. "You're bat shit insane," I growled.

"On the contrary, I'm so sane, nobody knows that you or Victoria are here." He smiled at the girl, making her flinch with a whimper.

"I am the son of London's most renowned psychologist," I told him with a sneer. "Did you know that the most horrifying part os a Serial Killer, is how normal they seem in public?" I asked him as he stood up. "You're just like them. You're completely fucked in the head, and you're good at hiding it. Doesn't make you sane, or right." I hissed.

"Truly a shame." Jefferson sighed in regret. "I'd hoped you'd become my next protege Damon." He told me truthfully. "I always knew you were something special. I said you had a gift didn't I?" He asked. "A shame you don't have the stones to use it. Not properly anyway." He pulled my photo out of his pocket, the one where I'm lying on the ground, not unlike Jefferson's 'subjects.' I cringed in disgust. At first, I loved that pic. Now I hate it. It's a reminder of how alike I am to Jefferson. "We really are so much alike, aren't we Damon?" He asked, as if reading my mind. "We could have made great art together." He sighed remorsefully.

"You really think I'd help you? Especially after you killed Chloe?" I glared.

"Right, you're late girlfriend, miss Price." he mused out loud.

"Don't speak her name," I spat. "I will get revenge for her, and Rachel." I swore to him.

"Oh Rachel, now she was something," Jefferson said with a wistful sigh. "She was special. So many visual possibilities. She was a real human chameleon." He smiled. "We had a real connection."

"She let you take photos?" I asked, befuddled. Rachel actually consented to this shit? Maybe not with the drugs though.

"She was in love with me," Jefferson revealed, making me blanch. "And that's not my ego talking. You should see our sessions, not that I'd let you. No one loved having her picture taken more." He with a sinister grin. An insane asshole, and a selfish bitch. Jefferson and Rachel were a match made in heaven apparently.

"Then why kill her?" I asked.

"I didn't," Jefferson admitted. "Nathan, in his lust for her, thought that he could turn her into a piece of art like I would. Instead, the dumbass gave her an overdose." he rolled his eyes. He's talking as if Rachel's death was a minor annoyance! I'd like nothing more than to pummel her for all the lies she told Chloe, but I wouldn't wish death on her! Too late though… "Either way, she's dead now. Not that it makes any difference. LA would have killed her." He thought out loud.

"You're an evil bastard," I growled.

"Right. You shot a drug dealer, broke a soldier's arm, struck a girl, and emotionally blackmailed a suicidal Catholic girl, and I'm the evil one." He listed. He smirked at my shocked look. "People talk, I listen." He explained.

"I shot Frank to protect Chloe, I broke David's arm to teach him a lesson, I emotionally blackmailed Kate to save her from herself, and I hit Victoria because she deserved it." I my peripheral vision, I saw Victoria wince. "And even I cared about Nathan more than you did." I spat.

"No, you didn't." He growled angrily. "It's just too bad he thought with the wrong head. He thought he could mimic what I do. Like father, but not like son." He glared. "The worst part is that you'll never be able to fill his shoes." He said, his features softening.

"You're right, never." I shot back.

"It really is a shame." Jefferson sighed. "I knew I couldn't keep Nathan as a protege for very long. I can't compromise my vision with amateurs, which is why I wanted you." He told me.

"You're the only amateur here." I spat.

"I do so love your spirit, Damon." He complimented genuinely. "It's going to make it so hard to make sure there's nothing left. Of you." He added the last part for clarification.

"It's not gonna be hard, it's going to be impossible," I told him. "If you love my spirit now, you're gonna hate it in a moment," I smirked. He narrowed his eyes at me. "You ever watch Arrow, Mark?" I asked him.

"I did. I didn't care for it." He answered, suspiciously.

"What did Oliver Queen do when those kidnappers zip-tied him in the Pilot?" I asked, my smirk growing into an evil grin. His eyes narrowed further before they widened in realization. At that point, I showed him my free hands. "You're gonna die, Wanker," I growled, pouncing.

He tried to go for the gun he had on the coffee table, but I stopped him. With a few well-placed jabs, I had him on the ground, on his stomach, with my knee in between his shoulder blades, and my hands holding his biceps down. I delivered a hard punch to both biceps, breaking the bones with ease. He cried out in pain. As I stood up, I grabbed him by his shirt, flipped him over, and pulled his face towards mine. Raising my free arm, I punched him in the face, hard.

"This is for Kate!" Another punch. "For Rachel!" Another. "For all your victims." And another. "For Victoria!" Yet another punch. "Hell, even for Nathan!" One more. "And this one's for me!" I gave him one more swift punch. His face was utterly broken, blood everywhere, covered in bruises, and his nose looked completely disfigured.

I had already made my decision before I started beating on him. I forced him to look me right in the eyes, and I could see the outrage, the disbelief, and the fear in them as I stared into his eyes, the wrath I felt clear on my expression.

"Damon…?" Victoria called out to me, afraid.

"This is for Chloe…" I whispered, narrowing my eyes. "You'll see her again before I do," I added, bringing him into a headlock. He realized what was about to happen, and tried to struggle, but it was fruitless. I heard the door open, but I was too enraged to focus. I heard the hammer of a gun clocking, but I paid it no mind. "Always. Take. The shot." I whispered Jefferson's own words into his ear. His own golden rule that he taught all of his students. And now, it's caused his death.

"Mr Madsen, no!" Victoria screamed. Before anyone could do anything, I applied an incredible amount of pressure to Jefferson's neck. In an instant, a loud, sickening crunch was heard as his neck snapped. His body went limp in my grip, and I let him fall to the ground, lifeless. I just stood there, for how long, I don't know, but after any amount of time, I felt my legs give out, and I fell to my knees. Behind me, I heard some movement, some speaking. I think Victoria was telling the newcomer that I was the good guy, and Jefferson was the bad guy.

I didn't know, and I didn't really care. I just held still there, on my knees, staring at my hands. They were covered in blood. Mark Jefferson's blood was literally and figuratively on my hands. I'd just brutally murdered someone in cold blood, for the sake of revenge. He killed Chloe, so I killed him. Nothing hurt worse than knowing Chloe was gone, but a close second was the knowledge that I'd yet again broken a promise to my Sensei. I swore to her that I'd never use what she taught me to take a life, unless it was a life or death situation.

This was not a life or death situation. I could have easily knocked him out, or bound him, or crippled him so he couldn't fight back. Instead, I chose to kill him. I chose to end his life.

"Damon?" I heard Victoria's voice as a hand laid on my shoulder. Stiffly, I turned to face her. She was looking at me with a face full of concern, tears in her eyes.

"I… I just…" My breath picked up. "I-I-I-I…" I stammered out. Victoria instantly pulled me into a hug, my head in her chest as she held me tightly. All I could do was sob into her chest. "He killed her! I loved her, and he killed her!" I cried into her chest. She didn't say a word. She just held me tightly. I cherished the warmth, shallow as it was. "I didn't even hesitate! How can I do that? I just… I can't… I don't…" I broke down, sobbing into Victoria's chest as she hugged me. I don't know how long it lasted, but eventually… I blacked out.

* * *

I'm not sure how I was out, but somehow, I'd ended up on the couch, and shot up with a gasp. After taking a moment to regain myself, I found I was still in the Dark Room. Victoria was looking over me in concern, and the newcomer, David apparently, was sitting in the desk chair, his face buried in his hands.

"Damon… Are you OK?" I heard Victoria ask.

"I-I…" I stammered out, swallowing a lump in my throat. "Yeah… Yeah, I'm… I'm as OK as I can be right now…" I let out, grunting as I moved into a sitting position. "Are… are you OK?" I managed as Victoria sat beside me.

"I will be." She said, wiping her eyes.

"David?" I called out to the man, who looked up at me. "How are you here?" I asked him.

"Chloe left her computer on. I went up and saw the location… And all your notes." He told me, running his hand down his face. "Damon, please tell me it isn't true?" He begged softly. "Please tell me Chloe isn't dead?" I looked at him sadly, and then down at the ground. With a shake of my head, he buried his face in his hands again. "This can't be happening…" He whispered. "Oh God, what am I going to tell Joyce?" He asked, his breath hitching.

"What are we going to tell her?" I asked the air as I lay back. "First William, now Chloe," I whispered to myself.

"I promised Joyce I'd protect her daughter. How can I face her now?" He asked, staring at the floor. "I failed her… I failed Chloe…"

"I failed Chloe…" I corrected him. "I was right there. I knew it was Jefferson… I wanted so badly to believe it wasn't him, but…" My breath hitched. "I saw her get shot…" I finally let out, tears running down my cheeks. "I was right there, I should have been able to save her," I whispered.

"Rah!" David let out a shout, punching the wall with his uninjured hand. He startled Victoria. "This isn't on you Damon." He whispered. "I always knew Nathan was a threat, I just waited too long to neutralize him." He hung his head in shame.

"Jefferson already did," I said, shocking him. "They had this… twisted father-son relationship. Jefferson wanted me to take Nathan's place…" I shuddered. "Nathan killed Rachel, and Jefferson had to use him as a scapegoat."

"I could have stopped this if I wasn't so fucking stupid." David sat down again.

"Trading back and forth about who's to blame isn't going to help anyone," Victoria spoke up. The silence that followed was painful.

"She's right," I said, standing up. I felt a slight dizzy spell, but it faded fast enough. "There is something I can do," I whispered. I promised myself I would never do this ever again, but I need to. No way can I live in a world where there's no Chloe. I grabbed my bag from the corner Jefferson had left it in and fished for my photographs. I found the one I'd taken for the Everyday Heroes Contest on the table, but I'm not using that one. Too far.

In my bag, I found the photo that Chloe had photobombed when we woke up on Wednesday morning. Closer, but not as close as I'd like. I found the photos I took of the Dark Room when Chloe and I first found it. On my phone, there was the picture of the owl that I took. It'd probably work if I used a picture I took, but didn't have me in it. Still, that wasn't close enough. I need something from just a few hours ago, not a full day back. Maybe…

"Warren…" I whispered. The selfie he took when he was drunk! That would be perfect. Hopefully, he would still have it. It's exactly what I need. My resolved hardened, I packed all of my stuff and flung my bag over my shoulder, after slipping on my jacket. "I need to get out of here," I said to the other two, swiping Jefferson's keys. "He won't be needing these," I said darkly.

"You should both get out of here," David said to both myself and Victoria. "You've both seen enough of this room." He told us. I nodded, gesturing to Victoria to follow me. "I'm sorry you lost your love, Damon." He told me.

"I'm sorry you lost your step-daughter," I told him, walking off.

"Damon!" He called out to me. I looked at him. "Don't let what you did control you." He told me, experience coloring his tone. "Jefferson was a horrible man. For better or worse, he got what was coming to him. Don't ever for one second believe that you are a bad person, or deserve any kind of shit because you killed him." He curled his lips up slightly. "That's an order, Soldier." He told me. I gave a small smile and nodded before continuing out. Victoria was all too eager to follow me and get out of here. As we walked, I pulled out my phone and texted Warren.

**Damon: Need to talk NOW  
Damon: Urgent, 911  
Damon: Where are you?  
Warren: Two Whales  
Warren: Joyce is helping shelter from the storm  
Damon: On my way**

"You going to be ok in his car?" I asked Victoria as we walked out of the bunker. Outside of the bunker, we could see the storm. The storm from my vision. It's all coming true…

"I… I think so…" She told me. With a nod, I got into the driver seat, and Victoria slipped into the passenger seat. Without another word, I drove off, the Diner my destination.

* * *

I got us back into the town fast enough. The weather was really awful. Victoria and I could see the tornado over the ocean in the distance. It was fucking huge. A part of me knew how and why it was coming. I'd spent the entire week denying it, maybe subconsciously, but I was starting to see it. Either way, I couldn't accept it. I wouldn't. It has to be something else. No matter how much sense it makes, it can't be true. Anything was better than that train of thought, even the self-righteous zealot preaching God's punishment on the radio.

The town was a wreck. Buildings were crumbled into pieces, cars and other vehicles were upturned, and there were people running all around in a panic. And the bodies, oh God, the bodies. They were everywhere. Eventually, there wasn't any more road to drive on. Victoria and I had to get out to get to the Diner. She clung to me with a steel grip as we slowly made our way through the wind and rain. I shielded her view from anyone that died. Evan from our Photography class, Alyssa, even a random trucker. I could have helped them, but I didn't see the point. I'm about to undo all of this, so saving them would be a waste of time. Morbid as it sounds, it's true.

We had to make our way through another building to get past some wreckage, and more than once, I had to Rewind to keep us from harm, but I don't think Victoria noticed. The Two Whales Diner was in sight, and then it exploded. There was a small fire building up near a gas pipe, so I had to Rewind to undo the explosion, and quickly covered the fire with soil before taking Victoria in through the backdoor. The front door was barred.

"Oh thank God…" Victoria whimpered in my arms. She had not enjoyed our time out there.

"Damon!" Joyce, who had been tending to an injured Frank, exclaimed in joy when she saw me. Immediately, she ran over to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. "I'm so glad to see you're alright Sweetie." She told me, her relief tangible as she hugged me tightly. "I've been so worried about you and Chloe." She said as we separated. "I thought you two would be ruttin in a bathroom or bathroom or something when the room suddenly fell on top of ya." She said with a sigh. I had to facepalm, despite myself. "Is she OK?" She asked, noticing Chloe wasn't present.

"Chloe's fine," I told her. Victoria looked at me with wide eyes at the blatant lie. "She texted me earlier. She's safe." I told her.

"Oh thank God." Joyce let out a loud sigh of relief. "After all that's happened, I couldn't handle it if something happened to my Chloe." She told me. "Especially while I was stuck in this stupid Diner." She said bitterly.

"It's alright Joyce," I told her. "I met with David earlier. He's fine too." I mentioned, making her sigh in relief again.

"I just want this storm to be over." She whispered. "I think, after this, it's time we leave Arcadia Bay. After all that's happened this week, I think that's what we all need." She told me.

"I think so too." I agreed, if only to keep her calm.

"I… I'm going to get some more bandages." She told me, wiping the tears in her eyes away. She's trying to hold together, but after everything, even someone as strong as Joyce can fall apart.

"You lied to her," Victoria said, staring at me with wide eyes as Joyce walked off.

"It was the best choice," I told her simply. "After all that she's going through right now: the storm, a rift between her and her husband, and taking care of all these people... The last thing she needs right now is to be told that her baby is dead." I reasoned.

"It's still wrong." She told me. I nodded in agreement.

"Maybe." I conceded. "But it's what's best for now." I said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Go find someplace to sit. I'll join you in a moment." I told her. She nodded, walking towards one of the booths. I, meanwhile, approached Frank. He looked up at me, and our eyes met. Without another word, I took a seat next to him. Pompidou was with him, which was good.

"Hey," he said simply.

"Hey," I responded. "You doing OK?" I asked him.

"I'm alive." He answered, grunting slightly in pain. "I'd be more than OK if I had Rachel back..." He whispered. "Now Damon, what about that info I gave you?" he asked, looking me in the eye. "Did you and Chloe find out what happened to her?" He asked, a spark of hope in his voice. I was silent for a moment before sighing.

"I honestly don't know how to tell you this, so I'll just be blunt," I said. "She's dead Frank. Chloe and I found her body buried in the junkyard." I explained, seeing his eyes widening.

"No… Please, no… Oh God, this can't be!" He cried. "Not Rachel!"

"I'm sorry Frank. It wasn't what any of us wanted to hear." I said sympathetically.

"What happened?" He all but demanded of me.

"We used the names you provided to track down a farmhouse owned by the Prescotts." I started. "Underneath it, there was a bunker where my teacher, Mark Jefferson, would photograph Blackwell students that Nathan Prescott had drugged and kidnapped. It was some kind of… photography torture room." I shuddered, remembering the lights.

"Prescott?" Frank clenched his fist. "I knew it! Fuck! I never should have hooked up with that sick prick!" he growled in rage. "Pompidou hated him!" His breathing was ragged for a few seconds before he calmed, if only slightly. "You… You said you found her body?" He asked in a whisper.

"Yeah," I whispered with a nod. The memory brought a pungent stench to my nose. "It was awful… Nathan wanted to impress Jefferson, but he accidentally gave her an overdose instead." I explained.

"Overdose?" He repeated, his voice cracking. "The only way… would be if… I sold it to him." He realized, horrified. "I killed my Lioness!" He cried, his hands over his eyes.

"Frank, you are not responsible for this," I told him sternly.

"I gave him those drugs!" he shot back, his tears running like waterfalls. Pompidou gave a light whine at the sound of his master shouting.

"You gave him the drugs, he decided what to do with them. Rachel's death is on his hands." I said firmly.

"I'm gonna kill the prick!" He snarled.

"He's already dead," I intervened. "Jefferson killed him to tie up a loose end." I went on. "I don't know where he is."

"What about Jefferson?" he demanded. I looked at him, then at my hands, and tucked my hands into my lap. I stifled a sob as I remembered the feeling of his neck snapping in my grip. "You didn't…" He whispered.

"You're not the only one who lost the girl you love to Jefferson." My breath hitched.

"Chloe…" He whispered. "Oh God no… You can't be serious… She didn't deserve this…" He gripped his hair. "Rachel… She was the only good thing in my life…" He sobbed. "I knew she was too young… I knew it was wrong… I always expected her to leave me, but…" he stopped.

"But not like this." I finished for him. "You can't tell Joyce," I told him.

"I… I won't…" he bit out. "I would never have stopped her from pursuing her dreams… And she had some big ones…" he told me.

"So did Chloe, once upon a time," I whispered. "If there's one thing I can say for certain, it's that Rachel cared about you, Frank," I told him, as comfortingly as I could.

"And Chloe loved you," he responded. "The way Rachel said she spoke of you… How could it be anything less?" He asked with a humorless chuckle. "You know, the one time I met my dad, the prick quoted the bible, told me he wanted to 'enter his house justified.' In other words, do the right thing." he said, staring out into space.

"Then he's already leaps and bounds above my own Dad," I responded.

"Either way, I think you're helping me on that same track, Damon. Thank you," he said sincerely. "Don't get me wrong, I still think you're weird, but you're cool." He told me with a small smirk.

"I've got someone I need to talk to. You gonna be OK?" I asked him.

"Not any time soon, but yeah." He said. "Go do what you need to do." I nodded and got up, approaching Warren, who sat at one of the barstools, and sat next to him.

"Hey, Damon," he said with a sigh.

"How you doing?" I asked.

"I'm OK, all things considered," he said. "What do you need?"

"The photo you took when you were drunk," I told him seriously.

"Seriously?" he asked. "You mean right before you Bruce Lee'd me into unconsciousness?" He gave a glare.

"Warren, I'm sorry about that, but I really need that photograph." I urged. "I'm serious. Like Cancer. I need it." I told him. He looked at me intensely, glaring into my eyes before he sighed. He pulled the photo out of his back pocket and handed it to me. I'd never felt such relief before.

"Damon, what's going on with you?" He asked out of nowhere. "You've been different this past week. You're usually so quiet and alone. But recently, you've been more…" He tried to think of the right word.

"Assertive," Victoria spoke up, approaching us. "He's right. You've been more open, you talk more, you don't just one out with your camera or sketchpad all the time anymore." She told me. "You even got a little… violent…" She trailed off, bringing her hand to her black eye, the one I gave her on Tuesday.

"Hate to agree with Victoria, but she's right." Warren piped up again. I looked at them both, sighing. What the hell? I'm about to erase it all anyway.

"Come here," I told them, getting up from the barstool. I walked over to one of the windows. The other two followed. "There, see that car door flying through the air?" I asked them. They focussed their attention on it and nodded. "Keep your eyes on it," I told them, placing my hands on their shoulders.

Then, I rewound.

I only managed about 20 seconds or so, considering I was bringing not one, but TWO passengers with me, but I think I pulled through it pretty well. Warren and Victoria both looked at me, wide-eyed as the car door reversed in its path. As I let go, they both turned a little green and heave a little, but at least the didn't puke. God knows they wanted to.

"What… the fuck…" Victoria gasped, falling to her knees. "Was that?" She finished her sentence, heaving again.

"You just…" Warren slurred, shaking his head. "You just rewound time…" He whispered, looking at me with shock.

"Yeah," I said with a nod. "You two may wanna sit down, I've got a lot I need to get off my chest," I said with a sigh.

* * *

"...and after Jefferson killed Nathan, Chloe and I headed back to the junkyard, where he ambushed us," I concluded the story after about an hour of talking. "The rest is history." I sighed. Victoria and Warren both held on to every word I said, their eyes wide with shock.

"This… this is…" Warren whispered.

"I really want to tell you to stop playing around, but…" Victoria trailed off. "It makes too much sense." She whispered.

"It explains… everything." Warren said, awed. "Changing time, it caused all of this. The storm, the snow, the eclipse…" He listed.

"I've been trying really hard not to think about all that…" I mumbled.

"It makes sense. Chaos Theory, cause, and effect. It fits." he told me.

"So all of this is my fault then?" I asked with a humorless, self-deprecating chuckle.

"Don't give me that bullshit." Victoria snapped. "You didn't chose to get this… Regression power." She said with a huff. "So, what do you plan on doing?" She asked. I held up the photo Warren gave me.

"I'm going to undo the whole night," I told her, shocking both of them. "You won't be kidnapped, Jefferson will still be alive, and Chloe won't be killed," I told them. Victoria's eyes were wide as dinner plates.

"What about the storm?" Warren asked.

"I'll cross that bridge when I get to it," I responded. "Right now, I just want to save the girl I love," I whispered.

"I… I uh… I'm gonna go help, Joyce." Warren said, getting up. I gave him a look, but then I saw the depressed look on Victoria's face. Oh.

"Tori, I…" She held up a hand to stop me.

"Don't say you're sorry." She sighed in depression. "It never helps." She said.

"Neither does it help when a girl starts a sentence with 'You're a really nice guy, but…' and all that." I tried to lighten the mood. It didn't work.

"You're gonna undo the whole night? Our talk? The promise you made? The one I made?" She asked softly.

"I have to," I told her.

"I understand." She nodded, standing up. "Will you promise me something?" She asked, suddenly shy. I nodded. "FIx things between us." She requested of me. "And I don't mean a relationship." She stopped me before I ask. "You're my dream guy Damon." She said with a sigh. "It's my own fault that nothing will ever happen between us, but will at least end this… animosity?" She asked. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she wiped them away immediately.

"I promise, Tori," I promised sincerely. The smile she put on was one of the saddest and happiest I've ever seen from her.

"Make sure you keep calling me Tori…" She said under her breath, giving me an inquisitive look. "Will you remember this?" She asked. I nodded. "Good. Then I don't have to feel bad about this." She told putting her hands on my cheeks and bringing my face to hers. My eyes were wide as she pushed her tongue into my mouth. The kiss lasted about 30 seconds, but it felt like an eternity. As she pulled back, Victoria gave me a hard look. "Tell Kari Price that if she messes this up with you, I'll swoop in like a vulture," he told me, turning and walking away.

I just stood there for a few seconds, unsure as to what just happened, before I shook my head free of the confusion. Message received Tori, message received. With an amused smile, and a shake of my head, I looked at the photograph and focussed. I promised myself I'd never do this again, and I usually take promises very seriously, but I don't have a choice here. I need to bring Chloe back.

"_Warren!"_

"_Say cheese!"_

I heard Warren's voice, as well as my own as reality started to fade around me.

"_There, you got your selfie, are you happy now?"_

"_How did you get Brooke to like you?"_

Like last time, the photo blurred and distorted, before a bright white light blinded my vision.

* * *

**And so we begin the final episode of Arcadia Duo, Polarized! How did you guys like the way I handled Damon being in the Dark Room? I figured Jefferson wouldn't have wanted to take pictures of a guy, so I decided to make it that he wanted Damon as an apprentice/protege instead. Also, Victoria being in love with Damon. I was quite proud of that part.**

**What did you all think of Damon killing Jefferson? I'd been planning that from the start.**

**This fic is going really well, and it's almost complete. Imagine that! My first ever completed Fanfiction!**

**Now, for those who read Life is Strange AU fics, I've been considering one myself. You know the ones, they have the same characters, but a completely different setup? Like Black Swan by Lyta Halifax, or Intersecting Worlds, Interconnected Hearts by rowanred81. I've been thinking, if I did write a fic like that, should I use Max? Or Damon? Using Damon seems a little redundant, considering an AU AND an MC-replacement in one fic might be a bit too much to deal with. Then again, it could be great. Tell me what ya'll think!**


	18. Polarized - Part 2 - Ending

I blinked the light out of my eyes as the flash of my camera hit my eyes again. The familiar feeling of Deja Vu and, shall we call it, hit me like a bag of rocks. I shook my head and focussed myself. Still, I took the time to retrieve my camera from Warren. The guy was a dumbass when drunk, evidently. Before he could even say anything though, I quickly locked him into a Blood Choke, knocking him out.

"The fuck!" A voice I almost thought I'd never hear again yelled out in shock. I turned and saw Chloe looking at me with wide, awed eyes.

"Chloe!" I breathed out, sprinting over to her and hugging her tightly.

"W-whoa! Damon!" She blanched, shocked at the sudden display of affection. "Mmf!" She let out a muffled yelp as I kissed her harder than I've ever kissed her.

"You're ok…" I whispered as I pulled back. "You're here… You're Ok…" I said with a smile as I cupped her cheek.

"Damon? Did you go screwing around with time?" She asked, suddenly worried.

"Yeah, yeah I did," I confirmed with a nod, turning serious. "It's Jefferson Chloe," I told her, prompting wide eyes. "Jefferson is the one who's been drugging Blackwell girls and taking their photos. Jefferson is the one who put Nathan up to this whole thing. Kate, Rachel, and any number of Blackwell girls. And Victoria's next on his list." I said.

"So, Jefferson killed Rachel?" She asked me.

I shook my head. "Jefferson and Nathan have weird… father-son thing going. Nathan wanted to impress him by turning Rachel into 'a piece of art.' Instead, he accidentally gave her an overdose." I explained, shuddering as I recalled Jefferson giving the same explanation.

"So Nathan did do it." She growled, releasing herself from my grasp. "Now I can kill the bastard." She stomped off.

"Chloe no!" I called out, grabbing her by the wrist. "He killed you. Jefferson." I told her. "I watched as you fell to the ground with a bullet in your skull!" I exclaimed.

"Big deal. Now that you know about it, we can avoid it." She tried to get free of my grip, but I wouldn't let her. "Damon, let go!" She hissed.

"Chloe, Nathan is already dead. Or very nearly." I pressed, making her stop.

"That fucker is already dead?" She asked with wide eyes. "How do you know that?" She demanded.

"I was there. If he's not dead now, he will be soon. Jefferson killed him." I let go of her.

"Then it's his turn to die now." She growled.

"I already killed him!" I cried, making her stop. She turned and looked at me with wide eyes yet again. "He drugged me and kidnapped me. And Victoria… He dragged us both to the Dark Room, and…" I stopped. I could feel Jefferson's neck snap in grip as I spoke. I let out a shuddering breath.

"Damon? What. Happened." Chloe demanded, walking over to me and making me look at her.

"He… he killed you, Chloe…" I whispered, the sight of Chloe's dead body running through my head again. "I dislocated my wrists to get out of the zip tie, and I lashed out at him." I had to calm myself to prevent myself from hyperventilating. "I hit him, over and again, there was blood everywhere. And then…" My breath hitched. "I could have broken his legs, or crippled him, or just knocked him out and be done with it. But… I was just… so... angry!" I wiped the sweat from my forehead. "I grabbed him and… I snapped his neck." I finally let out. Chloe's eyes were wider than I've ever seen from her. Her expression showed unparalleled horror as she held me close.

"Oh God, Damon…" She whispered as we hugged. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that. To do that…" She pulled back, keeping her arms around me. "Nobody deserves that, least of all you." She caressed my cheek.

"Chloe, we can't go on like this." I murmured, loud enough for her to hear. "I can't keep fixing things, just to see them break again," I said as we separated. "And with these alternate realities, I'm fucking with time way too much. It has to stop." I told her.

"Alternate realities?" She asked, confused. "Damon, what are you talking about?"

I swallowed a lump in my throat. "On Wednesday, after our fight, I discovered a… Growth, in my power." I told her. "I can leap back in time, further than just a few minutes, and not with the Rewind." I sighed. "By focussing on a photograph that Joyce gave me, the last one William ever took, I was able to go back to the day he died, and…" I trailed off.

"And?" She pressed.

"I saved him, Chloe." I let out, wiping my tears. "I stopped him from dying, but… It didn't work out any better." I took a deep breath. "He bought you a car for your 16th birthday, and you ended up in crash instead, with Joyce in the midst." Chloe's eyes widened again. "Joyce died, your left arm was paralyzed, and your legs were so damaged that they had to be amputated above the knee." A twinge of pain burst in my chest as I remembered Chloe in that state. "You were so depressed, so down, so quiet. Seeing you like that, lacking everything I love about you, made me realize how I felt about you, Chloe." I softly cupped her cheek. "But that's not all…" I whispered.

Tears in her eyes looked straight into mine. "What?" She asked through a soft sob.

"After you fell asleep, I spoke with William. I told him everything. About the Rewind, about the photograph, everything. He was the one who told me to go back and let him die." Tears poured down both of our faces. "And then, when I went back to that day, again, William grabbed me by the shoulder and whispered 'Take care of my girl Damon.' He kept all the memories." Chloe shut her eyes tight at the revelation, burying her face in my chest. "I don't know how, or why, but he did. And then, he willingly went to his death, knowing that the alternative was worse for you." I held her close. "You were right when you said he chose to walk out that door and leave…" I whispered into her hair.

We stood there for a few moments in each other's embrace.

"Alright, I believe you." She told me. Pulling back and wiping her tears away. "I have no idea how I would handle that situation…" She whispered. "Nobody would, but the important thing is that we're together again." She told me, placing her forehead against mine.

"You're right, and I need you to come with me so we can _stay _together," I told her.

"I hear you Damon, but are we really going to let Jefferson get away with murder and torture?" She asked me, looking into my eyes. I squeezed her hands reassuringly.

"Never," I told her fiercely. "We have to find David. He'll believe us, and he'll take Jefferson down."

"I don't get it. After you wailed on him, why are you trusting him?" She asked, confused.

"He was right behind us Chloe," I told her. "He found the info on your computer and followed it to the Dark Room. He arrived just as I… As I…" I cringed, recalling what happened. "He helped me, Chloe. I was falling apart inside when he told me not to feel like a bad person for what I did. I'm sure he spoke from experience." I said. "He will help," I told her.

She nodded slowly. "Alright."

"We tell him about the Dark Room, about Rachel, Jefferson and Nathan, and even Victoria being the next victim."

"You've been through so much Damon. I trust you." Chloe said as she took my hand, smiling at me softly. "I'm your faithful companion, and loving girlfriend after all." She went on, trying to add some humor to the situation. I allowed a small laugh.

"One other thing: In a few minutes, I won't know about what just happened, the conversation we just had, and everything I told you," I explained. She nodded in understanding. "We just need to stay in your room and do nothing while we let David do what he's good at," I said. "Just explain to me that I traveled through time using a photo, and tell me everything I told you, OK?" I asked.

"Will you believe me?"

"Always." I squeezed her hand softly, kissing her. As she responded to the kiss, I felt my grip on this point in time fade and everything disappeared a bright flash of golden light.

* * *

_Again, the images in my mind's eye began to appear and change. First, it was a picture of Jefferson, holding a gun, standing over Chloe's limp form in the junkyard. It shifted to an image of Chloe, myself, and David standing outside of Chloe's house, holding out the photos we had of the Dark Room. We were explaining what we had found._

_Next, an image of me snapping Jefferson's neck appeared and then faded into an image of David, clad in Kevlar armor, along with two Police Officers, storming the Dark Room, aiming their guns at Jefferson, who held his hands up._

_Finally, an image appeared in my head of Victoria and I, clutched together, making our way to the Two Whales through the storm, and it faded into an image of Chloe and I clutched together, on the beach, staring at the storm. With that, the odd sense of limbo between times faded into nothing, and I re-entered the real world._

* * *

I opened my eyes with a gasp, finding myself on the beach. I felt the same wind and rain I felt when Victoria and made our way through the storm towards the Two Whales. A few meters in front of me, I saw Chloe standing on the beach, staring at the Tornado. At that moment, I was filled with elation and relief. She was OK. I ran forward and grabbed her into a tight hug, eliciting a light yelp from her.

"It worked! You're OK!" I said in happy relief as I let her go, turning my love to face me.

"I guess the real Damon is back." She smiled at me, hugging me back. "How was your time trip?" She asked.

"Forget that!" I shot back with a light laugh, despite the rain. "You're alive and well. That's all I care about." I said happily. "I was so scared I would never see you again," I told her.

"I guess even destiny doesn't want us apart." She remarked with a light smile, kissing me softly. "And God, you traveled through realities to save my ungrateful ass…" she started choking up as we separated. "I hope it was worth it… But, I don't blame you for wanting me out of your life." Her tone of voice went to a more depressing, self-deprecating one. "After all this drama." She shook her head, looking down. I sighed.

"Chloe, I'm about to do something I would usually never do, so I apologize in advance," I told her, making her look at me. I lifted up my hand and delivered swat to her face. Not a full-on slap or backhand like David did to me, but enough to get her attention. "Don't. Ever. Say. That. Again." I growled as she looked at me with wide eyes. "You are my everything, Chloe. You have been for almost two decades! The drama? The drugs? The recklessness? I don't care about any of that! I want you in my life!" I yelled at her. Her eyes welled with tears as my words struck her very core. "I love you Chloe Price. Nothing is going to change that. I'm the one who should be worried about whether or not you want to be with me." I pointed at the storm. "Just look at what I caused! I'm the Nobody here Chloe! I'm the one who doesn't deserve you!"

Chloe's eyes went from emotional to angry in a moment. "You're Damon-fucking-Azrail, Time Warrior! Even without that, you're kind, caring, sweet, and brilliant! Nobody could be a better best friend or boyfriend than you. Nobody!" She snapped in my face. Funny how we go from lifting one of our spirits to the other in no time at all. "You didn't ask for any of this to happen, but it did. You're just gonna have to accept how awesome you are." She told me sternly.

"We both do…" I whispered. "I've always wanted my life to mean something, to be a part of something bigger, with you at my side," I told her. "And none of that happened until I came back here, so… without you, my powers wouldn't exist."

"Then, for whatever scientific or mystical reason that we'll probably never know, we were meant to be together. Right here, right now, at this point in history, this…" She took my hands. "Was meant to be." She said with a smile. "I'd like to think Rachel was with us this whole time, fighting behind the scenes with us." She said, her grief hitting her for a moment.

"Me too." I agreed with a single nod. "We all owe her," I said. "Now, tell me everything that happened. I need to know." I said urgently.

"Well, we left the party and made sure Jefferson couldn't find us. We went to my house, and for once, I was grateful I lived in an actual fortress." She started, her mandatory remark present as per usual. "Then, the storm got hella crazy and you said we would be safe at the lighthouse."

"God, just what is this storm?" I asked under my breath. Please don't let it be what I'm dreading in my head, _please!_

"It could be Rachel's revenge. Our revenge." Chloe said, staring sadly at the tornado. Well, waterspout technically. "The lighthouse is out of the reach of tornado. We'll be safe there. Let's go." She said, grabbing my shoulder. I looked at her and nodded. Immediately, we took off into sprints towards the path. However, a few seconds later, I felt a familiar feeling of dizziness. I tasted blood once again as my mouth leaked blood.

"Chloe…" I called out for her as best I could. Apparently, she heard me. She turned and faced me just in time to see me fall to my knees.

* * *

For what seems like the hundredth time, I shot up with a gasp, as if waking up from a nightmare. And given recent circumstances, that's not an unreasonable analogy. Only this time, I found myself in the last place I expected. I was back in Jefferson's class, the day Nathan almost shit Chloe, hearing the exact same lecture, seeing the exact same pencil drop, the same paper throw, the same answers, everything.

"_Am I… In a time loop? Or did I jump again, like when Nathan first shot Chloe?" _I asked myself. I had half a mind to just run out of the classroom and jet towards the bathroom, but something else caught my attention. A bird flew into the window, leaving a nasty bloodstain on the glass. _"That didn't happen before," _I recalled, narrowing my eyes. Another bird hit, seconds later. And then another, and another. It got to a point that it looked like massive blobs of blood had rained down on the windows, and that's not even the strangest part.

The strangest part was that nobody was reacting in the slightest. As if the birds weren't flocking towards their deaths at the window right by us. Even Kate, who shed a tear at the sight of a limping dog, didn't notice all the death that occurred right in front of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, everyone disappeared. Literally, I blinked and everything was gone. Even the birds and their bloodstains. The room was completely empty.

"_Fuck… Have I fucked up time even more?" _I asked myself as I got up. I immediately made for the door, even taking the time to grab all my stuff, though I don't know why I did.

"I see you Mr Azrail." The voice of the monster himself suddenly resounded in my ears. "Don't even think of leaving before we talk about your application." He told me in that friendly teacher, but still stern, voice. I wanted to rage at him, to scream, to hurt him, but instead, I found myself calmly walking over to him like an obedient little student.

"Is there something I can do for you, Mr Jefferson?" I asked him. Wait, that was not me speaking just now!

"I was wondering…" he started, looking at me intensely. "Would you like to spend the rest of your life in my Dark Room? Taking pictures with me and killing people?" He offered. Again, I wanted to rage, to shout, to scream, but that wasn't what happened.

"I would like nothing more Sir." I smiled at him. "Thank you for ending that blue-haired nuisance. She nearly got me killed one too many times." What!? I don't mean that! That wasn't me! "I eagerly await our first subject." I told him.

"Chloe could never appreciate you as much as I do Damon." He told me, his gentle, fatherly smile still there. "And our first subject will be along. Soon." He said. Again, like before, I literally just blinked and he was gone. I was in control of myself again. I immediately bolted for the door.

As I opened it though, I did not find myself in the hallway, but on the second floor, in the dorm. The girl's floor. It was dark, and there were candles lighting the edges of the floor. As I slowly, and cautiously, made my way along the corridor, I became aware of someone standing right outside of… Kate's room? It was Kate herself!

"Kate?" I asked in a whisper. She was sobbing slightly.

"Why didn't you let me jump? What kind of friend are you, Damon?" She asked, upset and angered. "You never understood me, or what happened to me." She spat. "Now my family will never leave me alone, thanks to you." She said bitterly. "And that means, I'll always be alone." Her tone was haunted, broken.

"Kate, that's not true," I said sternly. "I'm your friend. I'll always be your friend." I told her, grabbing her shoulder. She slapped my hand away.

"And that's the problem." She let out a choked, sobbing laugh. "The boy I love doesn't love me… He wants someone else. That is not a feeling I can live with…" Whispered, opening her dorm room, showing a bright white void. Rather than walking in, she jumped through and fell, as if jumping off of a building. Frantically, I followed her, but found myself instead at the start of the boy's floor.

"The fuck…?" I whispered, my eyes wide. I tried opening one of the doors but ended up at the start of the corridor again. Gulping, I slowly made my way to the other side. Along the way, I stepped on something. A key. A key I recognized. It was the key to my room. Hesitantly, I moved towards my room and found it to be locked. Using the key I'd found, I unlocked it and stepped through. I found myself on the girl's floor again.

As I did so, within the blink of an eye, again, literally, Chloe's poster of Rachel were decorating the walls, and I was wearing Rachel's unisex collared shirt and her plaid flannel jacket again. Ok, last time, I found my key and entered my room. That's a clue. Maybe this time, since I'm wearing Rachel's clothes, I should enter Rachel's room? Chloe told me it was room 224.

Steeling myself, I opened the door and went in. This time, I found myself on the boy's floor again. Instead of new clothes, or a key on the floor, I found myself in a completely different _body. _I was Nathan fucking Prescott. I was walking around in Nathan's body. That wasn't terrifying or anything, but at least it made things easy for me to figure out where to go next. Nathan's room, the one right next to mine. Quickly, I went to and through the door. I found myself at the beginning of the boy's floor again, but I was back in my old clothes, the ones I wore earlier this week. Black jeans, black shoes, long sleeve black short with a wolf on the back, and a dark red leather jacket.

At least I was back in my own body. Does that mean I have to go into my own room again? Only one way to find out. I hope this doesn't force me to start all over again like in video games. With a sigh, I walked through. Huzzah! I didn't find myself in the dorm anymore. I was in the hallway of Blackwell, just outside of Jefferson's classroom door.

In the hallway, everything was exactly as it had been on Monday. The same people in the same groups, all of having the same conversations. Except they were going backward. Hell, even I, purely out of instinct, donned the same motions I made that day. I popped my earphones into my ears, plugged them into my phone, and played the same music, my playlist of Bon Jovi, Black Veil Brides, and Three Days Grace. Even the music itself, and the words on my phone were backward.

My mind and body seemed to be separate as I strolled through the halls. I was in control of myself, but my instincts were driving me towards the bathroom, just like Monday. Going with the urge, I stopped just outside of the bathroom, and took a deep breath. I walked into the bathroom again and gasped.

I was in a total black void, there was nothing around me. I couldn't see anything except for myself. Not even the floor beneath my feet was visible. And I just walked. I don't know how long for, it could have been hours, or minutes. I really couldn't tell you. However, I almost released a scream when Jefferson appeared out of nowhere in front of me.

"Don't try to hide Damon. It's time for you to die." He said darkly, approaching me. Immediately, I shot him in the head, and he disappeared. I don't even know where the gun came from. I didn't draw it, and I didn't have it in my hand earlier, but my gun somehow found it's way into my grip. Shaking my head, I turned to a different direction and ran. This was getting scary. As I ran, I was stopped as someone else suddenly appeared.

Kate. She battered, broken, bruised, and bloody, as if walking after jumping off of a building.

"Aren't I pretty enough for you Damon?" She asked me, her voice shrill and evil. "Can I not compare to your blue-haired slut? You're breaking my heart." She giggled darkly. Immediately, I shot her too and ran in a different direction. I was stopped by Nathan this time. He had a bullet hole in the center of his forehead.

"Only an idiot would try to take down a Prescott. Blackwell is my turf you bastard!" he growled. I shot him too. The cycle repeated. Joyce carrying her own decapitated head telling me to stop ruining her family, David with a shotgun wound to the chest yelling at me and blaming me for his problems, Principal Wells with a piece of wood through his chest telling me I don't belong in Blackwell. It wouldn't stop.

Eventually, I came across a bench, like the one on top of the hill by the lighthouse. Emotionally and physically exhausted, I took a moment to sit down, and just recompose myself. As I did so, however, the black void was replaced by Chloe's house. The bench was inside of the snowglobe above the fireplace, and I was sitting on said bench. Before me, I saw a young Chloe and me, talking to William, the last day he was alive. As Chloe and William had their exchange, I watched my younger self walk over to the back door and stare outside with an utterly destroyed expression on his, my, face.

As William walked over to him/me and place a hand on his/muy shoulder, whispering in his/my ear, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I'd received several messages from several people at the same time.

Wait, a text from William?!

**William: Hey Damon, would you say hi to Chloe and Joyce? Don't forget to remind them that you let me die.**

It was like a knife to the heart.

The next one was from… Rachel?

**Rachel: Hey Damon. It's me, Rachel. I just thought I should introduce myself. We'll be meeting up soon. Real soon.**

Dear God, that's terrifying.

Pompidou? Seriously?

**Pompidou: Bitch, don't mess with Frank. Or me. You got a scooby snack?**

My mind is fucked, it has to be.

The next one is from Nathan.

**Nathan: Hey Damon! Congrats on becoming Jefferson's new apprentice! You two captured Victoria so well. Maybe we can hang and get high.**

That is not what happened and you know it Sub-conscious.

Chloe? Wait, the picture shows her with black hair…

**Chloe: Hey Damon, it's Chloe. You know, the one you left in a wheelchair? Did I thank you for bailing on me to another life? Not only did you lie to me, you weren't there when I woke up, but you glommed onto another Chloe! How many fucking times can you abandon me? Where's my happily ever after? Am I never going to have your love?**

I had to remind myself that this was a dream, over and again. That this Chloe doesn't exist anymore. That she's Ok, she's alright. She's alive. I felt my chest constrict in pain, and my eyes rolled back into my head as I passed out. The last thing I saw was a bright flash of white light.

* * *

As I opened my eyes again, I found myself back in the Dark Room, wearing nothing but a sleeveless shirt and tracksuit pants. My sleeping clothes. I was zip-tied to the office chair again and said chair was positioned at the spot where all the pictures were taken.

"Will this nightmare never end?" I asked myself. I looked around, seeing no one, but in a flash of light, two people appeared, Chloe and Jefferson. Jefferson sat at the couch, whilst Chloe stood before him, striking different poses as he took photos of her. She's removed her jacket.

"I think you'd be perfect for my new photo series on retro-grunge," Jefferson said as he took a photo of her. "You have all the same qualities I loved in Rachel. No way Damon would be able to capture them." He said. They're acting like I'm not even here…

"Damon is an idiot." Chloe rolled her eyes, striking another pose. What, what?

"Oh, I know." Jefferson rolled his eyes. "It's almost like he's a mute, quiet and brooding like that."

"I am so over his bullshit." Chloe scoffed.

"I think everyone is." Jefferson laughed.

In a flash of light, Chloe and Jefferson were replaced by Chloe and Warren, standing off to the side. Warren leaning against the wall, Chloe standing in front of him, wearing just a shirt and panties, like when she sleeps. They were really close.

"Damn Warren! I thought you were all up in Brooke's shit." Chloe said with a laugh.

"She wants Damon." Warren waved her off dismissively.

"Is that was this is? Revenge?" Chloe asked with a sly smile.

"Damon stole my girl, I steal his," Warren smirked cruelly, kissing Chloe. The sight hurt more than I could ever describe.

Another flash of light and they were gone. Now, Nathan and Chloe were on the couch.

"Goddamn it, you are a sexy bitch," Nathan said with a lusty grin. "Why hang out with Damon?" He asked.

"Boredom, mostly." Chloe shrugged. She was fully clothed this time. "He's like a puppet." She snickered.

"I hear that." Nathan put his arm around her. "So, I got weed in my room. Wanna party?" He offered. Chloe was about to answer when she made eye contact with me.

"Hah! Spying on us Damon? Possessive much?" She flipped me off. "Taking a fucking picture Mr Private Detective." She said sassily.

Another flash, and then Chloe was alone, dancing on the couch in her underwear.

"This is how you bust a move. No mosh pit, Shaka Brah." She snarked.

Another flash, and Chloe was cuddling with Victoria on the couch.

"Damn Tori, you're a real woman. Not a fucking child, like Damon." Chloe purred seductively, running her hands along Victoria's thighs.

"I've always wanted you to call me Tori…" Victoria whispered. "I fucking love your tats. You're so hot. I can't believe Damon thought either of us would want to be with him." She curled her lips in disgust.

"Don't worry about him," Chloe said, pushing Victoria down and straddling her. "Now I'M gonna dominate this bitch." She cooed, kissing Victoria.

God, it hurt. It hurt so much to hear these people that I care about talking to each other the way they are. Talking about me like that? Real or not, hearing someone you love say those kinds of awful things is painful. The worst part? It's not over yet. In another flash of light, the two women locked in passionate embrace disappeared, and the alternate Chloe appeared before, in her wheelchair.

"You lied to me." She whispered, her expression lost, dead. Somehow, it was worse of the prospect of her being mad. "You promised you'd be there when I woke up, but you were gone. Hooking up with that other me… Why her? Why is it her and not me?" Tears welled up in my eyes and they fell down her cheeks like waterfalls. "You shouldn't have this power… You don't know how to use them. Rachel's dead, you're alive, and I don't have my love with me. Life is… so unfair." She whispered, sobbing.

Please, make it stop!

In another flash of light, Chloe, my Chloe, appeared before me. She was holding a camera that I'd never seen.

"I wish you had never come back to Arcadia Bay." She said coldly, cruelly. "You're the real storm." She spat, snapping a photo. The flash was brighter than any of the others. And her words hurt more than any of the others.

* * *

As the flash faded, and I opened my eyes, I was in a different location again. Now, I'm sitting at the Two Whales Diner, at the same booth Chloe and I sat at when I first told her about my Rewind. The place was completely empty. As soon as blinked, however, I let out a gasp. Sitting opposite me was, well, me. He was fiddling with his camera, the one that broke when Nathan attacked me on Monday, a small, amused smirk on his face. My clothes had changed again too. I was wearing my black jeans, a black button-up shirt, and my biker boots. He wore the clothes I wore in Jefferson's class, with the red leather jacket.

"Who… who are you?" I asked him hesitantly. He snorted.

"You're fucking kidding me, right?" He asked, bemused. Seeing I wasn't kidding he laughed. "Christ, I thought you were smart. I'm you, you twat. Or at least, one of them." He smirked darkly. "I'm one of the Damons you left behind," I said, focussing back on his camera.

"Do you know how to get out of here?" I asked him, my eyes narrow.

"You expect me to help you?" He asked, laughing again. "Thought you could twist time around your fingers and not suffer any consequences?" He shook his head.

"Right, as if I chose to get this fucking Rewind." I shot back. I think I like Victoria's name of 'Regression' a little more than 'the Rewind.'

"Don't play innocent Damon." He growled, putting his camera down. "You've left nothing but a trail of suffering behind you. You shot Frank, hit Victoria, broke David's arm, and lied to Kate. You even killed Jefferson!" He laughed evilly. "You're a fucking murderer! Even more cold-blooded than Nathan and Jefferson!" His face twisted into a sick grin, like you'd expect to see in a mental asylum.

"He killed Chloe. He got what he deserved." I spat.

"Is that what you tell yourself to feel better?" He asked tauntingly. "Suit yourself, Damon Doom." he cackled under his breath.

"I know the truth. You can't hurt me." I said with resolve, crossing my arms.

"You are a fucking hypocrite." He mimicked my actions. "I can't hurt you, but that doesn't stop you from hurting so many others."

"You're an evil son of a bitch, you know that?" I asked in momentary exasperation.

"Don't talk about Mum like that." He taunted with a grin. "What about all the crap that people didn't deserve?" he asked. "Wait, let me guess, you fucked with time for the sake of your precious faux-punk slut Chloe, am I right?" He asked. "Is she worth all that?"

"All that and more," I growled. "She's the love of my life."

"Hah! The 'love of your life' that you fucked two days after the reunion? The same 'love' that you ignored for five years while her life went to shit?" He grinned widely.

"Chloe couldn't guilt-trip me, neither can you." I shot back. "She ignored me for five years as well, and my life went to shit as well. It's not my fault I grew up and took control before she did."

"You say that, but it gets to you when she goes on about you abandoning her, doesn't it?" He asked in a cold whisper. "It's called 'Stockholm Syndrome.' You remember that from all of Mum's books, don't you?"

"I won't let you scare me," I said hardly.

"Do you honestly believe Chloe loves you? You're just a rebound for Rachel. She probably figured Rachel was dead a long time ago and wanted to feel better."

"You're wrong."

"We'll see, won't we?" he asked darkly, just as the Diner's door opened. We both turned our attention to the individual who'd entered. "Well, speak of the Devil!" He laughed out loud. "The prodigal daughter returns." He quipped as Chloe approached the table. Angrily, she slammed her hands down on it, glaring at the other Damon.

"Shut your fucking mouth!" She spat at him. "He knows the shit we've been through this week and you don't!" She growled in rage. "You're not breaking us up! We're partners! Lovers! A team! And we'll get through whatever shit is going on, TOGETHER!" The other Damon backed away slightly at her raised voice. "That is the truth! That! Is! Reality!" She shouted.

As soon as she let out that last word, I blinked again and found myself in a black void. Again. Looking around, I softly called out. "Chloe?" No answer, except for the echo.. As the echoes faded, a path lit up before. A straight, simple path. At the end of said path, I could see a bright light flashing in and out of existence. The lighthouse. Steeling my resolve with a deep breath, I followed the path.

As I did so though, images appeared on the sides. Well, not so much images as… memories? Maybe? They were like life-sized, life-like, 3D renderings of things that had happened this week. There was Chloe's truck whilst I held my broken camera.

"_Heh, after five years, you're still Damon Azrail."_ Chloe's voice echoed.

"_You have no idea how ecstatic I am to see you." _That was my voice.

"_I saw the kick you landed on his head. Nice moves."_ Chloe again.

Those were words we'd exchanged when we were in her truck after she rescued me from Nathan. Not necessarily in the right order, but those were our words. As I continued on the path, more of these… Temporal Freeze-Frames popped up. The next one was when we were in her room and she gave me William's old camera.

"_I know your birthday was a month ago, but I want you to have this. It was my real father's camera." _Chloe's voice.

"_Thank you, Chloe." _My voice.

"_Now that the mushy shit is on the way, let's rock! Let's turn this place upside down! Yep, I'm fucking insane in the brain! Shake that snowy white ass! Or take a pic with your new camera! Hey, catch me!" _Chloe sounded so happy at the point. Then Damon walked in.

As I continued along the path, more and more Freeze Frames of the past week showed up. When we were sitting on the bench by the lighthouse, the Two Whales, the Junkyard, the railroad tracks, Wells' office, the swimming pool, the kiss in her room, Frank's RV, the day William died, even the beach with the wheelchair version of her. I got emotional at that point.

I allowed myself to laugh as I saw one of them displaying us cuddling after our first time, with her apologizing for 'crying like a big fat virgin.' We looked so ruffled and happy. That didn't last though. After that, it was when we found the Dark Room, and then when we found Rachel. I blocked out whatever they… we were saying. I didn't want to remember that right now. Over the next few minutes, my surroundings became clearer. Trees and bushes were appearing, I could feel wind rain on my face, and lightning was crackling in the sky. I knew this path. This was the path to the lighthouse. Up ahead, I saw what looked like Chloe dragging me up the path with my arm over her shoulder. That wasn't the past, that is the present. I remember, I passed out at the beach. Chloe must have dragged me all the way up here.

Approaching the freeze frame, I heard Chloe speaking.

"Please wake up!" She called out to me as she dragged. "Damon, we can make it!" She cried. I walked right into the illusion of me, almost like a ghost possessing someone, and suddenly woke up. "Oh thank fuck!" Chloe exclaimed as I separated from her. "You're not light you know!" She joked as best she could.

"Chloe… I'm so sorry… I must have passed out…" I placed my hand on my head. Yeah, I'm awake. I'm certain of it.

"Don't ever do that to me again, OK?" She demanded, placing her hands on my shoulder. I nodded. My attention turned to the tornado, and I watched as it edged closer and closer to the town. I couldn't believe this was happening.

"Am I selfish Chloe?" I asked my love, looking at her. I might have been crying. I might not. It's hard to tell with the rain. "I knew this storm was coming, and I did nothing! I didn't even think of it! I put all my effort into NOT thinking about." I said, my voice breaking with emotion. "Is this what happens when you change destiny? Is everything really set in stone?" I gave a sob. "I hope not."

"Fuck all of that, OK?" She told me firmly. "You didn't ask for this, but it's there. You saved me. Without your power, we wouldn't have found Rachel! I wouldn't be here to love you! I wouldn't have realized I love you!" She exclaimed. "So you're not the fucking Master of Time, but you don't have to be! You're Damon Azrail! That's enough!" She shouted.

"I love you, Chloe," I whispered under my breath. I don't think she would have been able to hear me over the storm, but it was clear by the way I cupped her cheek.

"I love you too." She whispered back. I didn't hear her, but we knew each other enough to know what we said. We embraced in a passionate kiss, and that moment, nothing around us mattered. We were just two teens in love, kissing in the rain. Were it not for the tornado, this may have been the best kiss of my life. "Damon…" She spoke, loud enough for me to hear, as we separated. "This… This is the only way…" She told me, pulling a familiar photo from her pocket.

"God, I feel like a thousand years have passed since I took this photograph…" I whispered to myself.

"You can use this photo… to change everything back. To erase this storm…" Chloe told me over the storm. "All it would take… Is…" She trailed off, unable to continue.

"No!" I shouted. "No fucking way!" I howled in outrage. "I will not trade you!" I practically snarled.

"It's the only way, Damon!" Chloe yelled back. "Look at how many times I've almost died! Maybe all you've been doing is delaying my real destiny!" I could tell by her expression that she was crying. And I was too. I knew for certain this time.

"You're everything to me, Chloe!" I returned.

"I know!" She cried. "You've proven that time and time again! Even though I don't deserve it!" She sobbed. "I'm so selfish! Not like my Mom… Look what she had to give up and suffer through… She deserves to live so much more than me, she deserves more than dying in a fucking Diner. Even David deserves better than to die in a Police Station with Jefferson!" She wiped her face dry. It didn't last. "There so many people in Arcadia Bay that deserve to live more than me!" She cried.

"Fuck all of them!" I raged. "Nathan, Jefferson, Wells, David, Victoria, even Joyce and Kate! Let them burn if it means you can live!" I snarled angrily.

"You don't mean that…" Chloe sobbed, hugging me. I didn't hug her back as buried her face in my shoulder. "It's time I accept my Fate, Damon."

"What about us Chloe?" I demanded, unmoving. "I want a life with you! I want to laugh, to cry, to fight, to split, and reunite, like every other couple in the world! I want kids with you… I want…" My shouting quickly evolved into sobbing again. "I want more!" I finally hugged.

"I want that too… But…" The love of my life sobbed as she tightened her hold.

"No…" I pulled back. "There has to be another way! I can Rewind and tell everyone about the storm! I can call an emergency evacuation. I can do something! Anything but this!" I all but begged whatever deity or entity was listening.

"You can't Damon. Maybe we… maybe we're just not meant to be…" Chloe cried, wiping her tears away again. "Maybe you deserve better than-"

"Stop!" I cut her off angrily. "Maybe I can't Rewind or use a photo to fix this, but there has to be something else! My power keeps growing, changing, evolving! There has to be something!" I gripped my hair tightly. Think! What can I do? How can I change this!? I wish I had never gotten that stupid vision!

…

The vision!

My eyes wide, I looked up at the top of the lighthouse. It was gone… Almost as if a boat had slammed into it! That's it! When I first had the vision, the top of the lighthouse almost crushed me to death! And then when I saw Chloe get shot! Both incidents have something in common: I couldn't do anything! That fear, that adrenaline! The knowledge that I could do absolutely positively NOTHING triggered a jump back towards Jefferson's class! Does that mean that the vision wasn't even a vision at all? Have I been stuck in some kind of time loop, as I guessed earlier? It doesn't matter.

"I've got it!" I grinned widely. "I know what I need to do!" I told Chloe, gripping her shoulders.

"What? Tell me!" She urged.

"I jumped back to Jefferson's class when I saw you die. That wasn't a Rewind! Or a Photo Jump! That was a full-on leap through time!" I told her excitedly. "I've done it twice! The fear and the knowledge that I could do NOTHING to save you, or myself, is what triggered it! I need to do it again!"

"How?!" Chloe asked loudly.

"I need to put myself in a position where Rewinding won't save me!" I said. And I think I know the perfect way…

Immediately, as I shifted my attention to the cliff, Chloe stepped in front of me. "Not fucking happening Damon!" She hissed.

"You were willing to!" I shot back.

"Then let me!" She shouted.

"I can Rewind that! That won't do it!" I stepped forward, but she pushed me back.

"Don't be crazy Damon! I won't let you do this!" She got up really close to me. I just smiled at her and kissed her. She was surprised but kissed back.

"Chloe, I promise you, I will come back to you. I will find you, make you laugh, charm you, and seduce you all over again." I told her passionately. "But I have to do this," I told her. Before she could say anything, I delivered a swift punch to her stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

"Damon… No…" She breathed out as she fainted. I caught her before she could hit the ground. Picking her up bridal style, I carried her over to a nearby tree, where she would have at least a little shelter. Removing my jacket, I covered her with it, to provide some extra warmth. As a precaution, I pulled out my phone and sent her an email. It's a miracle that my phone still works, and still has reception, with this storm, but hers might not when it ends. So I sent her email instead.

**Chloe**

**If you're reading this, it means my crazy idea didn't work, and I'm probably dead. First, I'm sorry. I love you more than anything else in this world, and if you survived, then I have few regrets. Other than not being there with you. I know I broke my promise to outlive you, to always be at your side, and for that, I am truly sorry. But I cannot live in a world where Chloe Price is dead.**

**I know this is hypocritical of me, but please do me this favor. LIVE. Live for me. I know you've lost everything you've ever known, but this world has more to offer than either of us will ever know. Find someone who can love you and cherish you as much I do. As I always will. Maybe head to LA, like you initially planned. Or maybe see if you can get to London. Klare and Genevieve will welcome you with open arms. I know they will.**

**You're strong Chloe. I know you can get through this. Wherever I end up, I will always be with you. **

**All my love,**

**Damon Azrail**

With a deep breath, I sent the email and tossed the phone next to Chloe. I did the same with all my other stuff too. My gun, my knife, my wallet and car keys, etc. She might need them more than me. MIGHT. With a determined scowl on my face, I turned to face the tornado and marched on towards the edge of the cliff, seeing the wild seas and calamitous winds. I really hope this works.

"So this is it, huh?" I yelled at the tornado. "Is this your ultimate punishment? Is this you telling me not to mess time? Huh? ANSWER ME!" I screamed. "God, or Chronos, or Father Time, or whatever it is you are, YOU WON'T STOP ME!" I howled. "You don't want me breaking the rules of time!? Then you shouldn't let me use that power to begin with!" My breath picked up with all the raw emotion I was feeling.

*CRAAAAACK!*

Lightning struck nearby, as if the storm was angry with my words. I had to laugh. Loud.

"Now, listen! Bit of advice!" I yelled, a manic grin splitting my face. "Tell me the truth if you think you know it! Lay down the law if you have the bollocks! But!" I laughed out loud. "Never! EVER! Tell me the RUUUUUUUUULES!" I howled like a wolf as I flipped the storm off with both hands turning around, allowing myself one more look at Chloe's beautiful face, I allowed myself to fall backward off the cliff.

I could see the surface of the ocean getting closer and closer with each passing second, but they felt like eternities on their own. My heart was beating so fast I thought it might burst out of my chest. I think I might have subconsciously tried to Rewind in an instinctual attempt to survive, but it did nothing. I kept falling. As my entire body cut through the wind, I closed my eyes, feeling the rain hit me. I braced as I knew I was milliseconds away from the surface ocean.

* * *

It was a weird feeling, hitting the water. When it really comes down to it, I can't attest to whether or not what I felt was normal, since I've never jumped off of a cliff and into water and sharps, so I wouldn't know what it feels. Therefore, I can't say if what I'm feeling is normal or not. Still, in spite of that, why do I feel like this is just… wrong? As I opened my eyes, most hesitantly I might add, I did not expect what I saw.

A very familiar room.

A wooden desk in the corner, facing a closed curtain, with an old computer on it, and a 2010 Macbook Pro next to said computer. The hair had any number of clothing articles on it. The cupboard was plain white, and wide open, as it usually was. The room wasn't nearly as messy as Chloe's was, but there was some clutter. The walls were a bland cream color but were covered in band posters, anime posters, and posters of all my favorite female characters in sexy outfits and poses. Lara Croft, Leia Organa, Black Widow, etc. Not to mention a shit ton of photographs. Finally, the three-quarter bed has pillows covered in red pillowcases, the sheet was black, and the duvet covers were navy blue.

This is my room.

My room in London…

Holy shit…

"I'm in London!" I let out an exclaimed whispered. I was lying in my bed in London! "I jumped a whole month back… At least!" I said to myself ecstatically. I tried to Rewind, just to make sure that wasn't all a massive dream, and it wasn't. I only went back a few seconds, but it was enough.

It worked. My crazy plan actually worked! I quickly ran over to my curtain and opened them. It was night outside. No golden light! That means I've rewound this far back permanently! Time will pass normally! The relief and elation I felt could not possibly be put into words. Immediately, I went over to the mirror on the inside of my closet door. My hair was plain black, no red stripes, so that means this is pre-July, as I added the red stripes when I got accepted into Blackwell. That means I jumped more than three months back!

"Phone…" I whispered to myself, looking for the device. Frantically, I searched my whole room before I remembered where I usually put it; the drawer in my nightstand. I quickly grabbed the device and opened it. My blood ran cold as I saw the date and time.

Thursday...

23:17…

11 October…

"2012…" I breathed out.

Holy shit…

I jumped back a whole fucking year!

That means…

"Rachel…" I gasped, my eyes wider than supper plates. She's alive at this point!

As I stared out the window of my bedroom, I saw the same black Wolf from my vision.

If nothing else did, that proved it in my mind. This is real. And it's not over. I may have bought myself some time, but Jefferson was out there again, manipulating Nathan, and hurting people.

He needs to be stopped.

* * *

**Dun, Dun, DUUUUUUUUUUUN!**

**I did it! I finally finished a story! I cannot believe I've actually done it. An actual story, finished! I'll be honest and say that I never thought this would happen, but I actually managed to finish a story. I have a nasty habit of writing about shit that's either really long or incomplete. Fairy Tail, DxD, Star Wars, etc. Maybe it's time I focus more on games and movies rather than series and anime.**

**I want to thank you all for sticking by me as I write my stories. I know my erratic upload schedule can be infuriating. I thank you all for your patience! Writing this story has been a lot of fun for me, and the Sequel, yes, there WILL be a sequel, is going to be just as much fun, and just as awesome.**

**Now, you'll notice I took a few different directions across these last two chapters. I skipped the trip to San Francisco because I wanted to shorten the episode a little bit, and because I saw it as a waste of time. I wouldn't change the whole week like that. Not at the point anyway. Damon wasn't desperate enough at that point. As for the nightmare, I had a lot of fun there. I liked the maze in the game, but I want to make this a little… home-hitting, for Damon, having the characters confront him personally, rather than calling out into the darkness not knowing where exactly he is.**

**Now, with the ending, I had several ideas that I juggled back and forth from in the game. Classic Hospital Ending where Damon gets shot instead, or maybe one where Damon ensures that Chloe survives the shot, even one where Damon, after Chloe's funeral, has an emotional breakdown and Rewinds to Before the Storm and enrolls in Blackwell right about the time Chloe meets Rachel. I even thought up one where, after Nathan kills Chloe, Damon kills Nathan, then marches up to Jefferson, kills him, and as soon as David barges in, aiming a gun at him, Damon tells him to tell Joyce he's sorry he couldn't protect Chloe, and then shoots himself. Damon and Chloe reunite and embrace in oblivion. **

**There are more that I came up with, but this is the one I went with. This one has the potential for an AWESOME sequel. Anyone ever read Butterfly Wings by Nothing You Can Prove? That's where I get the inspiration for the sequel. **

**The sequel will come when it comes, people. Please don't ask me when it will be out. It's a major turn off in writing.**

**And with that, I declare LiS: Arcadia Duo COMPLETED!**


End file.
